Eclipse
by Sybl Angelkat
Summary: Hessian/OC Dawn always had a thing for mystery and shadows. She never expected to go back in time, nor did she expect Sleepy Hollow. She also did not expect to meet the Hessian himself.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1...Landslide

_Took my love and I took it down_

_climbed a mountain and I turned around_

_and I saw my reflection in the_

_snow covered hills _

_where the landslide brought you down._

The snow was falling in the woods thickly around them. Many of the soldiers sat with hunched shoulders by the fire. They were all complaining loudly in hopes that someone who could do something would hear, but many of their complaints were wasted on the wind and vanished with the puffs of steam coming from their mouths as they breathed:

"Ich möchte nach Hause gehen!"

"Wir sind dabei zu frieren!"

The list went on. They heard a pounding of hooves, however, and they all went dead quiet. Klaus entered the camp with his new horse.

The last one had been shot out from under him. He had gone into town to get another horse when he'd spotted the perfect one: a man had been trying to tame one that was black all over. It was rearing up, biting, kicking, and causing chaos in general.

"Calm down, you Daredevil! Beast of Satan, I swear!" the old man growled, hanging onto the reins of the horse for dear life.

When Klaus spoke, it was in heavily accented English.

"How much will you take for this one?" he asked, shaking a coin pouch on his belt. It jingled heavily.

The old man grinned.

"Name your price."

Klaus gave him half of what was in the pouch. The old man dropped the reins and took off.

"What does he call you? 'Daredevil'. What a strange name."

The horse snorted and laid his ears back. Klaus offered his hand to the horse and only held the reins loosely.

"Now, none of this. We have work to do, Mein Freund."

Daredevil looked at him incredulously for a moment, then relaxed his ears. Klaus gave him a gently scratching.

"Sind wir darin zusammen?" Klaus asked. Daredevil tipped his head forward.

" Gekommen mit mir."

He led Daredevil down the street a few paces, then noticed that the tack was already on the horse.

"Noch sein."

Carefully, he placed one foot in the stirrup. Daredevil turned his head to look, but did not move otherwise. Carefully, Klaus sat down. Confident that the horse wouldn't throw him, he gently nudged him into a trot.

The grooms had considerable trouble with Daredevil. Klaus was the only one allowed to touch him. That was when Klaus noticed something shiny sticking out of one of Daredevil's hindquarters. A drop of blood oozed out around it.

"How did this happen?"

He looked up at Daredevil, who was getting antsy now that Klaus had discovered a piece of glass embedded in his skin.

"Easy, Mein Freund."

_Oh, mirror in the sky, _

_what is love? _

_Can the child within my heart_

_rise above?_

_Can I sail through the changing _

_ocean tides? _

_Can I handle the seasons of my life?_

He placed his fingers around the glass and swiftly plucked it out. Daredevil did not once offer to kick him. Klaus carefully cleaned the wound.

Tomorrow was going to be a long day, and he knew it. But just how long, he would not know.

_Well, I've been afraid of changing_

_cause I built my life around you_

_but time makes you bolder_

_Children get older_

_and I'm getting older, too..._

There were three major battles, and Klaus was at the front of the line in all of them. His sword sang as it whipped through the air. He was good at what he did and he knew it.

He didn't know it was going to be his last bout of glory.

Three days later, many of his soldiers were getting weak because there was no more food. It was bitterly cold and many of them got frostbite. Daredevil wasn't in a good mood because he'd had no grain in three days. Klaus himself was quite irritable, but Daredevil trusted him.

The next day, they found themselves in the thick of one army or another. Weary, half-starved, and running on adrenaline alone, Klaus couldn't even really tell which side these guys were on. He roared like a tiger as he sliced through one right after another. His men were dropping like flies. As he was giving chase, something bad happened.

_So, take this love and take it down_

He felt Daredevil stumble and they went down in the snow. Puzzled, Klaus bent over him. Horrified, he saw blood pouring from Daredevil's head. He hesitated for a moment, unwilling to leave his new best friend but knowing that he was about to get caught.

_And if you climb a mountain and you turn around_

"Es tut mir leid," he apologized. The horse gave a whimper and was still. Klaus ran for the woods and dodged bullets that were being fired all around him.

He came face to face with two little blonde-haired girls. He had no intention of hurting them at all and just wanted to get away more than anything. Without Daredevil, he was a lot more vulnerable.

_And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills_

"Shhh," he whispered, putting a finger to his lips. One of the girls broke a stick. The snap sounded like a gunshot in the stillness. The men he'd been fighting made a mad dash towards the woods. The other little girl dropped her armful of wood and took off, but the one who had given him away stayed.

_Let her,_ he thought, _she deserves to see what happens when she betrays someone._

He sliced at this one and that one, but he didn't see a third come up behind him. Before Klaus even registered what happened, a cold blade slid through his armor and pierced his insides. Klaus let out an anguished roar and doubled over. He could not catch his breath. As he was doubled over in pain, there was the sinister hiss of a blade and a sickening THUD.

_Well maybe..._

_Landslide will bring you..._

Years later, Klaus became aware of himself and that he existed again, but he did not have a head. Helpless, he did whatever his mistress told him to do. It seemed eerie, sickening, and nightmarish. Everyone shot at him, stabbed at him, threw things, dropped things on him, ect... but he could not die. Ever the loyal companion, Daredevil had returned to his side. He couldn't stand Lady Van Tassel, but there wasn't much he could do. Even if he didn't want to follow her orders, his body did not obey. The muscles and bones moved of their own accord and wherever he went, so did Daredevil.

He was thrilled to get his head back. If he didn't have better things to do, he could have kissed Ichabod Crane and Katrina.

_Landslide will bring you down..._

Things gradually settled down. Having no one's interest to serve but his own, the Hessian and Daredevil slipped into a half-existence. Once in a while, they'd do a lap around the forest, but they didn't make their presence known.

He was waiting for something, he just didn't know.


	2. Chapter 2 Sweet Escape

A/N: Thank you, Kiya-Reed09! Even though the Hessian is a supernatural being now, he started out human like everyone else, so I tried to capture that.

A/N: Any reviews would be most welcome! Chapter 2 up, read and review!

Chapter 2... Sweet Escape (present day America)

_If I could escape,_

_I would, but first of all let me say_

_I must apologize for acting,_

_stinking treating you this way._

Dawn walked along to class, bouncing around with her iPod on. Everyone pretty much ignored her, but she was used to it. She'd just gotten to this university and wasn't all that fond of the people here. She figured she'd just do what she had to while she was here. Books were tucked under her own arm.

_Cause I been acting like sour milk_

_that fell on the floor_

_it's your fault you didn't shut_

_the refrigerator,_

_maybe that's the reason_

_I've been acting so cold._

Her sketchbook fluttered to the floor. A sketch of a mysterious rider on a black horse was revealed. She picked it up quickly before anyone could see it.

_If I could escape,_

_and recreate a place that's my own world_

_if I could be your favorite girl, forever_

Dawn was always fascinated with ghost stories and she loved the legend of Sleepy Hollow. She'd seen the movie numerous times and had sketched the Hessian (although she doubted very seriously that's what he looked like). In the drawing, he was riding Daredevil through the woods and she was sitting cross-ways in his lap and looking up at him with a smile.

_Perfectly together_

_and tell me boy, _

_now wouldn't that be sweet?_

Dawn had a thing for story-book villains, too. She almost always chose the bad guy over the good one for some odd reason and they fueled her imagination when she sketched during lectures.

_If I could be sweet,_

_I know I been a real bad girl_

_I didn't mean for you to get hurt_

_whatsoever,_

_we can make it better,_

_Tell me boy, now wouldn't that be sweet?_

_Sweet escape, sweet escape._

It was night-time. She couldn't wait to get home to her apartment and get some rest. She already had plans to order a pizza, have a hot bath, and settle in with a good book. Many of her books were worn out and dog-eared, but she loved them just the same.

_You melt me down,_

_I'm at my lowest boiling point,_

_come help me out,_

_I need to get me out of this joint._

She was also in the process of moving from her dorm room, so she had a lot of stuff in her car. Dawn hadn't been here very long, so she didn't exactly know her way around perfectly. She often got lost in the dark and tonight was one of those nights. Thankfully, she had a full tank of gas. As she navigated wrong turn after wrong turn, Dawn began to think she was never going to get home.

_Come on, let's bounce_

_instead of clowning around,_

_let's look for some common ground_

She began to get sleepy. She wondered why there were no more lights at all. She didn't even see any car headlights anymore. The road had become bumpy and unpaved. It was also full of holes.

Up ahead was a covered bridge. Mist floated around it.

It probably wasn't a good idea to go there. It looked so old that it might fall apart if she even breathed on it wrong, but Dawn was strangely drawn to the bridge. Transfixed, she slowed down.

_So, baby, time's getting a little crazy_

_I'm getting a little lazy_

_waiting for you to come save me_

_I can see that you're angry_

_by the way that you treat me_

_Hopefully you won't leave me_

_Want to take you with me._

For what seemed like an eternity. The small yellow car was swallowed up by the blackness. Eventually, Dawn emerged on the other side.

She was exhausted. Deciding it would be easier to find home in the morning, Dawn shut the car off and leaned her seat back. Sleep overtook her in a matter of moments.

She awoke when the sun shone on her face. A bird sang somewhere in the distance. She rubbed her eyes and looked around.

A man with wild dark hair was talking to a boy nearby. Two horses were tied to a tree. They were dressed in really old clothes. Dawn couldn't help but stare. Cautiously, the man approached the car. He jumped visibly when Dawn rolled down the window.

"You have the strangest carriage I have ever seen. Have you no driver? And where are the horses?"

Dawn was surprised.

"This is a car. You've never seen a car before?"

The man gave the hood a thump with his fingers.

"Where am I, anyway? I was trying to get home and I seem to have gotten lost," Dawn explained.

He wasn't listening. He walked all the way around the car, looked under it, then, finally came back to face her.

"You're in Sleepy Hollow, Miss."

Dawn's dark eyes grew wide.

"Sl-Sleepy Hollow?" she stuttered.

"Yes."

Dawn's head hit the steering wheel with a resounding THUMP!

"Miss? MISS! Wake up! How do I get her out of this contraption? It's usually me that does the fainting," he complained. The boy came over.

"Perhaps if we pull this handle," he commented, pulling at the car door. It sprang open.

"Let's take her back to Katrina's house. She'll know what to do."

"Shouldn't we bring her things with us so that they don't get stolen?"

Ichabod sighed. The strange machine was full of things, but it wasn't much more than they could carry comfortably.

She had several art supplies, a backpack full of books, notebooks, and pencils, a guitar and an amplifier, another bag that Ichabod did not search, and a few changes of clothes. Of course, they did not know what some of these things were, but they didn't bother to question them until later.

They removed her silver ballet-style shoes and lay her on the nearest bed. They gently covered her up and put all of her things in a pile against the wall. Katrina made some chamomile tea for the strangely-dressed girl to calm her nerves.

"We should probably get her carriage, sir," Masbeth told Ichabod, "they may think her a witch, sir."

"Quite right, Masbeth. Even I can't help thinking she's here for a reason," Ichabod said. They rode their horses into the woods, looped ropes around the small car, and with some difficulty, dragged up the hill and hid it under some old, ragged sheets in the barn. Then, they dusted the sheets with straw to make it look like it had been there forever.

"I'm just thankful we found her before the Horseman did," Ichabod commented as they were finishing up, "there's no telling what he'd have done to her."

Masbeth nodded.

"I thought he was resting in peace, though," Masbeth told him.

Ichabod's heart pounded in fear just remembering the Hessian.

"Maybe. But there's no guarantee that he doesn't check up on Sleepy Hollow now and then," he reminded his young assistant, "and if Lady Van Tassel could control him, surely there's someone else out there who potentially could."

"If you're so scared of the Hessian, why did you move back?" Masbeth asked.

Ichabod's expression shifted, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Because Katrina didn't like New York," he said slowly, "I only wish to make her happy."

Masbeth knew it was an obvious answer, but he was inwardly laughing at Ichabod's childish expression- he looked like a schoolboy who'd gotten his first kiss on the cheek.

"Let's go see if she's awake," Ichabod suggested.

_Sweet escape, sweet escape_

_(I wanna get away_

_to a sweet escape._

_I want to get away,_

_yeah)._


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks to warriorsgirl664 for reviewing! MORE REVIEWS, PLEASE! holds out empty bowl

A/N: Since the Hessian says this a lot, I'm going to tell you what he means in case you don't speak German. "Sind wir diesbezüglich zusammen?" means "Are we in this together?" (Or at least that's what the online translator told me—if you find any mistakes, please let me know.)

Chapter 3...Time After Time

_Lying in my bed, I hear the clock tick,_

_I think of you._

The Hessian lay on his side by the fireplace. Despite the blazing heat, he was cold and could never seem to warm up despite the layers of armor on his body. This was how he spent most of his time, just staring into the fire.

_Caught up in circles,_

_confusion is nothing new._

_Flashbacks, warm nights,_

_almost left behind._

_Suitcase of memories_

_Time after sometimes_

His mind wandered to days gone past: how many men he'd killed, how many times he'd led a unit, how many swords he'd had to replace because they dulled or broke, how many horses he'd gone through, and how many women's hearts he could have had if they hadn't thought him a vicious brute of a man. He remembered the freedom that he and Daredevil once had when they were mere mortals. Now, they were both very powerful creatures, but with so many limitations that it was hard to enjoy.

_You picture me,_

_I'm walking too far ahead,_

_you're calling to me_

_I can't hear what you've said,_

_then you say go slow,_

_I fall behind._

_And the second hand unwinds._

Now that he had no mission, no one to fight with, the Hessian realized why he'd enjoyed fighting so much: he didn't have to think. Just as Newton's law stated, for each action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. That was it; act and react. No thinking, because thinking too much could get you killed in the business he was in.

But now, those days were over.

Daredevil paced restlessly behind him. The horse had often gotten antsy lately. After disposing of Lady Van Tassel, they didn't have much entertainment. Lady Van Tassel had amused them both for a few days as she tried to figure a way out of her own mess, but they'd become bored of her and sent her somewhere else. She wouldn't shut up! The one thing that amused the Hessian about her now was when she'd awoken and realized that he'd gotten his head back. Slowly, he'd grinned at her sinisterly as the realization flowed across her face. He'd shaken his head at her, telling her what an ignorant bitch she'd been.

_Oh, what's this? Didn't you know what you were digging up?_

Then, he'd pressed his mouth against hers, thanking her and patronizing her all at once. He'd nipped at her rose-colored lips with his sharpened teeth and brought blood forward. Oh, how satisfying that had been!

He couldn't figure out why he'd done it, really. Maybe it was the satisfaction of showing her just how vulnerable she really was. She'd lost her hand when they went through the gate. He'd had every intention of cutting the other one off, but it wasn't necessary. Instead, he settled down in his comfortable chair by the fire and watched as Daredevil chased her in circles around the room, rearing and threatening to strike her.

"Get this beast away!" Lady Van Tassel shouted as she ran. The Hessian just shook his head again and crossed his arms, a bigger smile coming. He didn't bother to call Daredevil off; the horse needed the exercise.

_Mortal men went crazy over THAT? She's the noisiest, most disagreeable human I've ever met,_ Daredevil had commented, pawing one hoof and snorting.

_They wanted her money. Without that, she's completely worthless to them,_ the Hessian said in his mind where only Daredevil could hear.

_She's useless NOW! Shut her up or I will!_

Lady Van Tassel was complaining, yet again, about how the Hessian should be grateful. He snapped his fingers dismissively and the flames shot out of the fireplace and engulfed her. Like living hands, they dragged her back into the fireplace and she vanished without a trace.

Now that she was gone, it almost seemed too quiet.

Daredevil approached the chair. He nudged his master's shoulder.

_Sleepy Hollow has a visitor. It's a woman. She does not know where she is or how she got here. She has a strange carriage with no horse in sight and many other strange objects. She seems to be of another place, maybe even another time._

Daredevil's thought-speech sounded interested, maybe even a little excited at the thought of someone new.

"How long ago did she arrive?" His eyes were closed, concentrating as Daredevil extracted the images from the minds of the other animals and inserted them into his thoughts.

_This morning. She apparently fell faint when Ichabod Crane told her where she was. She has not woken yet. She seems to have been deprived of sleep._

"Hmm."

He considered carefully. Sometimes tampering with outsiders caused problems because they always wanted to be the heroes that destroyed him or his tree. They wanted to take his sword or dig up his grave or take back some sort of a prize to prove their bravery.

On the other hand...

He was bored. He and Daredevil had been quiet for many months now and they weren't used to it. Both of them wanted to be out doing something.

Besides, something about this one seemed different other than her belongings.

"At sundown, we will go see this visitor of Crane's," the Hessian told Daredevil. He gave an excited neigh.

"Get some rest. You may need it."

_If it hadn't been for Lady Van Tassel, all we'd have been doing these last twenty years would be resting! I want to get out and run!_

"Why haven't you?"

Daredevil snorted.

_Because I would never leave you. I never once left you when you found me. I stayed by your grave until I fell. Then, I joined you again. You are the only human who has ever cared for me more than a mere beast._

Daredevil could not see the Hessian's smile, but he could feel it.

_If you're lost, you can look_

_and you will find me,_

_Time after time._

_If you fall, I will catch you,_

_I will be waiting,_

_Time after time._

"Sind wir diesbezüglich zusammen?"

_Always. Besides, it would give you something to stare at besides the fire._

A chuckle echoed through the room.

He never did remember exactly when he could understand his horse or how they'd formed such a high mental bond that they could communicate in thoughts, but he loved it. Daredevil was probably the only friend he'd had for years. No matter who came and went, his loyal horse would be there forever.

There was a loud FWUMP! as Daredevil lay down beside his head. Sometimes the Hessian wondered if his horse thought he was a dog. He reached, without looking, and gave Daredevil's ears an affectionate scratching. Eventually, he fell asleep out of comfort more than need. His head rested on his arm and his lips were slightly parted. Air wasn't a necessity, either, but he breathed only out of habit. It had been odd at first to hold his breath for several minutes at a time and not even become dizzy or have his lungs burn. He'd even inhaled water on purpose a few times and nothing happened.

Daredevil slowly got up, trying not to wake his master. He walked slowly, deliberately, so that his shoes wouldn't clop against the wooden floor, then he wandered down the hallway. At one end was his stable, at the other end was the almost-never-used bedroom. He dragged the red velvet blanket off of it and carried it in his mouth back to his master. Carefully, he covered him up before laying back down again.

Although both the Hessian and his horse had dealt cruelties to others several times in the past, no one ever witnessed the kindness and love that they showed each other.

Daredevil was much smarter than any of the other horses. They lived merely for food, running, sleep, and sometimes mating. He lived for his master.

He hadn't had much experience with human women, but he'd seen them on the outskirts of Sleepy Hollow when he and his master rode sometimes. He had once asked the Hessian if he wanted a mate of his own.

"They are all too afraid," the Hessian told him, "even when I was mortal, they were afraid of me. Besides, I did not have time, then."

Daredevil had not given up the idea, though. Despite his master's ability to hide his emotions well, he knew he was lonely for human company. Maybe the new woman would bring them some hope. Just by looking through the other animals' memories, he could see that this one was different.

And so, as his master slept, Daredevil began to form a plan.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4..._There she goes._

_There she goes..._

_there she goes again..._

_racing through my brain_

_and I just can't contain_

_the feeling that remains..._

Dawn groaned and opened her eyes.

"I had the weirdest dream," she told herself, "I dreamed I was in--"

She trailed off when Katrina rushed over to the bed.

"Here, drink this. It will calm your nerves and give you strength."

Dawn took the cup.

"I guess it wasn't a dream, was it?"

"Afraid not," Ichabod responded, getting up from his chair, "we hid your machine in the barn. We don't want you getting arrested for witchcraft."

Dawn sighed.

"So, that's still an issue, is it? Fine. Thanks for getting it for me. I don't know how I'm going to get home."

She took a long drink from the cup. The tea warmed her insides and she didn't feel quite so out of it.

"How long was I out for?"

"All morning. The noon meal is being prepared as we speak," Katrina informed her.

Dawn rubbed her head.

"That's gonna leave a bruise," she said, wincing at the lump, "I gotta be more careful to fall backwards next time."

"If you don't mind my asking, where did you come from?" Ichabod asked.

"I came from a place in the future, a place called Grandsville. I was at college there. I was driving home from the university when I got lost and I think I majorly took a wrong turn," Dawn explained, "I don't even know how I actually went back in time."

It sounded strange, but Ichabod believed her.

"I noticed all of the unusual things you had in your machine," Ichabod commented, gesturing to the pile of belongings that he and Masbeth had retrieved from the car, "would you mind showing them to me?"

Dawn nodded.

"Just promise me that you won't take anything apart without my permission," she smiled.

"All right."

Dawn sat up, testing her strength. Upon finding she was okay, she got up and wandered over to the pile. First, she retrieved her iPod.

"See this? It plays music, kind of like a music box but it has different sounds; kind of like when you have people all playing instruments at the same time. These go in your ears," Dawn said, showing him the earpieces, "and you press this button to turn it on and make it work."

She turned the volume down first to keep from hurting his ears, then gave him the earpieces. He carefully put them in, not knowing what to expect. She scrolled through the list of songs, trying to find one he wouldn't make a face at. Upon seeing a nice, relaxing piano song, Cascada's "Everytime we touch", the slow version, she pressed play. Ichabod had the face of a child with a new toy.

"Fascinating," he commented, "how does it work?"

She turned it over and pulled the cover for the batteries loose.

"See these things? They're batteries. They have electricity stored inside, like lightning. Unfortunately, they'll run out eventually and I'll have to figure out how to keep this thing going," Dawn told him, "where I come from, there are wires in everyone's houses hidden inside the walls. There are holes that you plug the batteries into where they store up the electricity, then you can unplug it and take it anywhere you want. It clips to any part of your clothes that you want and it even fits in your pocket."

After that, she showed him her cell phone, laptop computer, the guitar and the portable amplifier, her psychology textbooks and notes, and her backpack. Katrina went downstairs to see if lunch was ready yet. Masbeth played with a few of the things she showed him. Dawn was in the midst of telling them stories about the future when Katrina informed them it was time to eat.

"And the women don't have to wear dresses all the time, either. Most of us wear jeans, like I've got on, or we wear shorter skirts that come up to here," Dawn said, placing one hand on her thigh, "and we usually have separate shirts that we wear. We have the option to change our hair color, the color of our lips, and everything. Women are a huge part of the workforce and we get to earn money, too. Women get to do a lot of things there that they probably don't do here. If I had to walk around with layers and layers of material on me all day, I'd die of heatstroke."

Dawn took a bite of bread.

"I would like to see this world of yours," Ichabod commented, "full of machines and science."

"I think you would get tired of it after a while," Dawn admitted, "other than my music stuff, I know I did. Everything starts to be routine after a while, and it stays the same. People there are a lot more selfish. Somebody's barn catches fire, the whole town comes and rebuilds it in one day here. Up there, they just watch it burn and leave. They don't take the time to really know each other there."

Dawn was amazed at how much better the food tasted here. Spices were the only preservatives used and she didn't have to wonder which package it came out of. There were a lot more fresh fruit and vegetables here and it would probably be good for her after living off of Ramen noodles for four semesters.

After lunch, Ichabod and Masbeth took Dawn to explore the town. Dawn hadn't ridden a horse before and was hanging on for dear life. Ichabod suppressed a chuckle at her inexperience; a year ago, he'd felt the same way. He was still rather wary of horses at times. By the time they made it to town, Dawn had to force herself to release her hard grip on the reins. Her knuckles had been turning white.

"And I thought learning how to drive a car was hard!" She said, grateful to get off.

Ichabod introduced her to several people. Many of the richer ladies whispered behind their hands at the strange girl who wore pants and rode her horse in such an unladylike fashion. Dawn was amazed that they were even still here.

She tried to ignore them, but felt her face flaming anyway. The men were much more polite to her. The children were probably the most open-minded and were happy to meet someone knew.

"Play with us!" One little girl shouted, grabbing Dawn's hand. They pulled her into the circle and began to dance around, singing "Ring around the Rosie!". Dawn laughed, stumbling a bit as she struggled to keep up.

They visited several of the little shops. Ichabod usually talked with all of the shopkeepers and Dawn wandered around, looking at the different things.

As they were on their way home, Dawn had accumulated several free things: a small heart-shaped cake, a wooden comb with a sleeping cat carved between the teeth, and a silver heart-shaped locket.

"This is real silver, too, isn't it?" Dawn asked, twisting the chain and letting the small heart spin.

"Yes."

_There she goes..._

_there she goes again..._

_coursing through my veins_

_and I just can't contain_

_the feeling that remains._

Dawn lifted her hair and he placed it around her neck and fastened the clasp.

Neither of them noticed the shadow on the hill above them.

The Hessian was silent, unmoving. Daredevil was uncharacteristically quiet.

_That is her?_ he asked.

_None other,_ the horse answered.

He observed her carefully. She was dressed in such an unusual manner that he'd almost mistaken her for a man at first. Then, as he looked more closely, he realized that she wasn't. It was very unusual to see a woman wearing pants. The fabric hugged her body and showed off every curve. She was much heavier than the other women; most of them never got very big because of all the work they did. This one was most definitely well-fed; her hips were very full. She had broader shoulders than the others. She was shorter, but very solid-looking. Her blonde curls fell free in the wind because she wore no hat and they flew out all over her head, making her look a little more untamed. When she laughed, she was uninhibited and it rang out through the air. Though plump and almost plain-looking, there was something that she possessed that the others didn't: spirit. She seemed mentally stronger than the other women as well as physically. She had not been raised in Sleepy Hollow and had not been raised in fear like the others.

_She is different,_ the Hessian commented.

He wondered how she'd even ended up here. A woman like that deserved to be in a position of power, not in some little farming town where, with the exception of him, nothing ever happened.

One of the children climbed on her back. Not protesting a bit, Dawn ran around in circles and bounced up and down, making the child shriek with laughter.

_She's very strong,_ Daredevil commented.

Though the Hessian was unaware of it, his horse seemed to have found a match for him.

Dawn now had two children trying to get on her back at once. She collapsed under them (probably on purpose) and they both burst into laughter. The others all gathered around. One of the girls had fashioned a wreath from some wildflowers and placed it on her head.

They were both hidden in a shadow, so Dawn couldn't see them, but she turned her head, and for a second, it felt as though she were looking straight at them. A thoughtful frown appeared on her face as though she knew someone was up there. Then, she turned back to the children.

The Hessian felt a stirring within. Somewhere, from deep within the recesses of his frozen heart, a shred of his soul made its presence known.

Klaus was in there somewhere.


	5. Chapter 5 Beautiful Disaster

Chapter 5...Beautiful Disaster

A/N: I have begun putting the translations at the bottom of the pages when Klaus speaks German. As usual, please read and review- I am always open to suggestions! Chapters 5 and 6 up tonight!

_He drowns in his dreams,_

_an exquisite extreme, I know..._

"Konnten Sie mich lieben?" His breath whispered. The wind carried the words away, but their emotion floated toward the unsuspecting woman and sent a chill up her spine.

"It's getting late," Ichabod commented, "we should probably be getting home."

The pair on the hill watched as Ichabod and Dawn made their way towards the Van Tassel house.

Daredevil turned his head towards his master.

_He's as damned as he seems,_

_and more heaven than a heart could hold..._

"Don't look at me like that," Klaus said irritably, "what do you expect me to do? Go and kidnap her and lock her up in the tree?"

Daredevil let out something like a snort, but he could hear Daredevil's laugh in his head.

_Of course not,_ he said casually, heading towards the village.

"Warten Sie! Just where do you think you are going?"

_We're going to get closer, what else?_

"They will see us!"

_They'll only notice us if you don't be quiet! Now, quit pulling the reins so tight, you're hurting my mouth!_

Klaus's grip loosened considerably.

_That's better. Do you forget that I know you better than you know yourself?_

Daredevil was the only being that could get away with saying that. Any other being would have been sliced open or decapitated.

They carefully crept up to the Van Tassel house as dark was approaching.

_I believe they're in the eating place,_ Daredevil said, _I smell food and I hear a lot of laughter._

_And if I try to save him,_

_my whole world could cave in,_

_it just ain't right_

_no, it just ain't right..._

Klaus dismounted and carefully stole over to the window. He watched as Dawn ate with Masbeth, Ichabod, and Katrina. Apparently, Ichabod had said something amusing and everyone else was having a good laugh. This time, the Hessian got a good look at Dawn.

Dawn's eyes were very dark, probably black. They lit up when she laughed and her face was very flushed, almost purple. Her whole body jiggled as she tried to regain her laugh.

_Problems!_ Daredevil yelped. The Hessian rolled his eyes. Figured.

"Drei, zwei, ein..." he counted.

"IT'S THE HORSEMAN!" someone shouted.

_Oh, and I don't know,_

_I don't know what he's after,_

_but he's so beautiful,_

_such a beautiful disaster_

_and if I could hold on_

_through the tears and the laughter_

_would it be beautiful_

_or just a beautiful disaster?_

"Such wonderful timing," he complained, moving quickly away from the window so that the inhabitants wouldn't see him.

_Don't talk, just get on!_ Daredevil came up to him. Klaus swung into the saddle and Daredevil took off. By now, Ichabod, Katrina, Masbeth, and Dawn had heard the ringing cry and were coming to the door to investigate. Klaus let out a number of German curses. He looked at the fool who was now standing by the path. He was shakily aiming a gun at him. The barrel was shaking so hard that the bullet flew harmlessly past.

"I am dead, you idiot!" Klaus snapped. The gun clattered to the ground and the guy started to run. Klaus unsheathed his sword, enjoying the sinister noise it made. He wasn't, of course, going to hurt the guy, he just wanted to scare him a bit.

"Geführt, geführt, während Sie können..." Klaus taunted. The man didn't speak German, which frightened him even more because he didn't understand what was being said.

The door burst open when Daredevil and Klaus got a few feet yards away from the house. It was then that he and Dawn locked eyes. Daredevil reared on his back legs and neighed. Klaus's sword was still raised.

_He's magic and myth,_

_as strong as what I believe_

_he's a tragedy with_

_more damage than a soul should see_

_but do I try to save him? _

_So hard not to blame him..._

Dawn grew chilled inside. His unusually bright crystal blue eyes were lit by the moon, giving him an even more supernatural appearance than she'd ever imagined. The light turned his skin silver and made his armor and sword glint brightly. He was dangerous, but so beautiful. He was everything she'd imagined, but so much more at the same time. She stood transfixed, ignoring everyone else around her and feeling her cheeks begin to burn.

_Hold me tight, _

_oh, baby, hold me tight..._

Daredevil took off. She watched their retreating backs and the chilly night air burned in her lungs. He turned back for just a moment, then continued on.

"Wait," she whispered inaudibly.

The Hessian had never felt such a conflict in his life. He desperately wanted to turn around, get Dawn, and take off again, but he knew it wasn't that simple. He couldn't bring her to the tree. He was irritated at the man who had pointed out his presence.

"Ich werde zurück bald sein." 

_Oh, and I don't know,_

_I don't know what he's after,_

_but he's so beautiful,_

_such a beautiful disaster..._

_and if I could hold on,_

_through the tears and the laughter_

_but he's so beautiful,_

_such a beautiful disaster._

Dawn remembered the sketchbook inside. Could he sense what was inside her, the curiosity? The admiration? The fear? Something else that she couldn't identify? She watched the night swallow them up, riding as though the Hounds of Hell were on Daredevil's heels. Why was he running? He pretty much owned the town next to Katrina.

Was he scared of something?

She laughed at that thought. What could someone like him be scared of?

_I'm longing for the love and the logical_

_but he's only happy hysterical_

_I'm waiting for some kind of miracle_

_Been waiting so long..._

_been waiting so long..._

They all went back into the house to finish dinner. Dawn was oddly silent, but no one said anything.

Klaus was in a very bad mood by the time they went beneath the tree.

"I am tired of the stories! I can't go anywhere without someone screaming! It is ridiculous!"

He sounded almost like a spoiled child. Daredevil wasn't thrilled about it, either, but he kept his silence. Gradually, Klaus stopped shouting although his pacing back and forth in front of the fire continued. Daredevil wondered why the rug never wore out as much as he did that. His anger cooled quickly, but the emotion that followed did not.

_He's soft to the touch_

_but frayed at the ends, he breaks_

_he's never enough_

_but still more than a heart can take._

Dawn continued to doodle in her sketchbook. She sketched the Hessian from memory as he'd looked at her with that piercing gaze. She wrote the lyrics of "Beautiful Disaster" beside the sketch.

"What do I want? What do I feel?" she wondered aloud.

_Oh, and I don't know._

_I don't know what he's after..._

_but he's so beautiful,_

_such a beautiful disaster._

_And if I could hold on,_

_through the tears and the laughter_

_would it be beautiful?_

_Or just a beautiful disaster._

_Yes, he's beautiful, _

_such a beautiful disaster._

Dawn drifted off to sleep with her sketchbook laying open on the pillow beside her.

Translations:

Could you love me?

Wait!

Three, two, one…

Run, run while you can!

I will be back soon.


	6. Chapter 6 Bad Reputation

Chapter 6...Bad Reputation

A/N: You are definitely going to see some comedy in this chapter. I advise not eating or drinking anything while reading this one. I put a little bit of insight on Dawn's character, here. Don't worry- you'll see the Hessian again in Ch 7.

Dawn was awoken several hours earlier than she would have liked by Ichabod the next morning.

"What?" she groaned.

"Come on, Dawn, you're going to learn how to ride a horse today!"

Dawn rolled over and yanked the covers over her head. Her sketchbook fell to the floor, but she didn't notice it. Ichabod picked it up and examined the sketch.

"This is impressive. You must have put a lot of thought into it."

The covers flew off of Dawn's head and she snatched it away from him. Luckily, Ichabod didn't pick up on what she was trying to hide.

"Okay, okay! I'll get up! But I'm not terribly good with animals," Dawn admitted.

"You'll learn. If you're going to survive in Sleepy Hollow, you should know how to ride. I'm going out to find one."

_I don't give a damn about my bad reputation_

_you're living in the past, it's a new generation_

_a girl can do what she wants to do_

_and that's what I'm gonna do_

Dawn sighed. She was already not looking forward to this. Ichabod left her to get dressed.

The sun was just beginning to appear over the trees. Dawn yawned so much that her jaw actually got tired. She closed the sketchbook and hid it under the bed. Then, she pulled her jeans and T-shirt back on. Suspecting that the silver ballet flats she'd been wearing wouldn't work, she put on her tennis shoes, brushed her hair, and went downstairs.

Ichabod was waiting outside for her. With one hand, he held Gunpowder's reins. With his other hand, he held a dapple gray mare that was almost silver. As soon as she saw Dawn, she snorted as if to say "That thing's not riding me!"

Dawn cautiously took the reins. With some difficulty, she managed to haul herself into the saddle.

"Make sure that you sit up straight," Ichabod told her, "leaning too much one way or another could cause you to fall off, especially if she decides to cut the other way."

Dawn's squirming around didn't seem to please the mare. She turned her head around and looked at Dawn with disgust.

"Does she have a name?" Dawn asked once she got situated.

"Her name is Flash," Ichabod said, "her owner says she was born in a lightning storm."

"Okay."

"Now, very gently squeeze your legs."

_An' I don't give a damn ' bout my bad reputation_

_Oh no not me_

_An' I don't give a damn 'bout my reputation  
Never said I wanted to improve my station  
An' I'm only doin' good  
When I'm havin' fun  
An' I don't have to please no one  
An' I don't give a damn  
'Bout my bad reputation_

Dawn must have been more nervous than she thought because she squeezed kind of hard. Flash reared and Dawn fell off with a resounding SMACK!

Ichabod shook his head and slid off of Gunpowder's back. He helped her get up.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

Dawn winced at the catch in her back.

"Fine except for a bruised ego, I guess," she admitted, getting back on.

Klaus and Daredevil were watching from the top of the hill. No one noticed them.

"Remember, gently," Ichabod reminded her.

Dawn was more careful this time. The mare stepped forward, looking almost bored with the lesson.

"Good. Now, if you want to-"

A gunshot sounded in the distance. Dawn wasn't even sure what Flash did, but she found herself in the grass with her legs sticking up.

Klaus clamped both hands over his mouth and his shoulders shook with silent laughter. Poor Dawn.

Dawn sighed and dusted herself off. She grabbed Flash's reins and pulled her head down so that they were looking eye-level with each other.

"You don't like me very much, do you?" Dawn asked. It was Ichabod's turn to stifle a laugh when the mare tossed her head as if to say "nope".

"Well, too bad," Dawn said, getting up again, "we're both just going to have to accept this."

She got back on again. Klaus crossed his arms, amused.

"What I was going to say was that if you want to turn right or left..." Ichabod went into the details. Dawn kept trying different things out. She didn't fall off again until Flash took off. This time, however, she landed on her feet.

"Don't give up," Ichabod encouraged, "I had a bit of trouble myself."

Dawn was far from giving up, but he could tell that she was getting frustrated. Flash lowered her head to take a bite of grass.

"Go," Dawn demanded. Flash ignored her.

"Go," Dawn repeated, squeezing a little bit harder. Flash looked at Dawn as though she were the dumbest creature on the earth. Then, she went back to eating.

"Why. Won't. You. Go!"

_Oh no, not me  
Oh no, not me_

_I don't give a damn  
'Bout my reputation  
I've never been afraid of any deviation  
An' I don't really care  
If ya think I'm strange  
I ain't gonna change  
An' I'm never gonna care  
'Bout my bad reputation_

Suddenly, Flash bolted. Dawn held on for dear life. The whole world was going by in a blur.

"HOLY SH-" Dawn yelped, trying to make her stop. Flash laid her ears back and went ripping towards the Western Woods.

"FLASH! SLOW DOWN!" Dawn cried out, but Flash wasn't listening. Klaus, sensing trouble, gave chase.

Dawn was screaming her head off, which made Flash madder. Flash snorted angrily and kept going. Daredevil was still struggling to catch up. A branch slapped Dawn in the face and her nose started bleeding. The longer Flash ran, the more frightened she was.

Daredevil's steady hoof beats could be heard behind them. Dawn's heart began to pound out of her chest. She could hear the Hessian urging him forward.

Flash really didn't like that. She cut to the left and outran them. Eventually, they came back to the Van Tassel manor. Not wanting to cause a second scene, Klaus and Daredevil paused at the tree line, seeing what would happen.

_Oh no, not me  
Oh no, not me_

Flash slowed to a stop. Slowly, Dawn climbed out of the saddle and dropped to the grass. Her nose was bleeding profusely and she was pale, sweating, and shaking.

Ichabod ran over to her.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"I think I want to go inside and lay down," Dawn commented. He helped her up and gave her his handkerchief to clean her nose off with. Flash let out a defiant neigh.

"You got your way, all right? Shut up!" Dawn snapped. Flash pawed the ground.

Klaus was torn between laughing and feeling bad for her. He'd never seen anyone so inexperienced on a horse, not even Ichabod. He hoped she was okay.

_I should probably have a little talk with Flash,_ Daredevil commented. Klaus slid off of his back.

_I'll be back soon,_ Daredevil promised.

He watched his horse gallop down the hill. In the rush to take care of Dawn, Ichabod had left Flash, still saddled, outside.

Klaus watched Daredevil approach Flash. He leaned against the tree, waiting.

Flash was wary of Daredevil and wouldn't let him get very close. The two of them wandered around in a circle as though they were squaring off. Flash snorted and pawed the ground. Daredevil calmly swished his tail. He wondered what they were saying. Eventually, Daredevil came back up the hill.

_I told her to take it easy on Dawn. She didn't want to listen to me, though. I don't know how well it's going to work._

After a while, Dawn came back out again. She checked to make sure Flash hadn't injured herself.

"Let's try this again," Dawn said, offering her hand to Flash. In it, she held a bright red apple. Flash gobbled it up.

"Now, can we at least try to be buddies?" Dawn asked. Flash came closer.

"I know I'm not terribly good with animals, but you'll have to teach me," Dawn said, climbing into the saddle. She tried not to squirm so much this time. Flash moved with an easy walk.

"Thanks for not throwing me off this time," Dawn told her. She tried to remember all of the things that Ichabod told her that morning. Slowly, she worked up to a trot, then to a gallop.

"I don't know what happened, but I appreciate it," Dawn told Flash.

She was still no expert rider. In fact, she fell off two or three more times before she got tired and went inside for a lunch break. By the time she made it in, she was sweaty, dirty, and frustrated. She was scraped up and her hair was a mess.

"Why don't you take the afternoon off? Maybe we could go to town," Katrina suggested, "we could have the seamstress fit you for a dress."

Dawn sighed.

"I'm not too fond of dresses, but nobody's gonna talk to me the way I look now, are they?"

She massaged her aching neck, wincing at a forming bruise.

"I'm afraid not," Katrina admitted, "there's already some talk circulating about the town."

Dawn rolled her eyes.

"This place reminds me of high school," she complained, "people were so bored that they had to talk about everybody else."

"I guess some things never change," Katrina admitted.

_An' I don't give a damn  
'Bout my reputation  
The world's in trouble  
There's no communication  
An' everyone can say  
What they want to say  
It never gets better anyway  
So why should I care  
'Bout a bad reputation anyway  
Oh no, not me  
Oh no, not me_

About an hour later, Dawn was walking beside Katrina towards the seamstress's shop. People were

staring at her like she was some sort of a savage. Dawn guessed that her appearance didn't do a lot for her:

she had on a tight, black Hard-Rock Cafe T-shirt, a beat-up old pair of jeans that were now caked with dirt, and her tennis shoes. Her shoulder-length blonde curls were pulled back in a scrunchie.

The seamstress didn't seem to mind how she looked, however. Without commenting or even looking phased at Dawn's state of appearance, she took down a bunch of measurements, then took her to the back. There were several bolts of fabric. There were some very pretty colors, but Dawn didn't see any that particularly stuck out to her. Then, she noticed one in the corner that was almost buried under the others.

It was a soft cotton material that was a beautiful shade of icy blue. Dawn ran it through her fingers, fascinated by its softness.

"I like this one," Dawn commented.

The seamstress also had a sketchbook.

"What kind of a dress are you searching for?" she asked, holding a pencil poised on the page.

_I don't give a damn 'bout my bad reputation  
You're living in the past  
It's a new generation  
An' I only feel good  
When I got no pain  
An' that's how I'm gonna stay  
An' I don't give a damn  
'Bout my bad reputation_

"I want something I can move in that's not real bulky," Dawn said, "I'm hot-natured and I pass out if I get too hot. Something that's not going to get in the way if I want to ride a horse. Something not too frilly, either. Definitely something that's not going to make my butt look bigger than it already is."

All this time, the seamstress was scribbling down a design. She held up the sketchbook.

"Will this do?"

Dawn inspected it. The dress was long, but it wouldn't cover up her feet and drag the ground in the front. It touched the ground in the back, but not enough to get dirty. The skirt was narrower and form-fitting, flaring out just enough that it would flatter Dawn's figure. There was a sash at the waist that would tie in a bow in the back. The neckline was simple and rounded, showing a little bit of her shoulders and neck. The sleeves came to the elbows and split open, accentuating Dawn's arms.

"I think so," Dawn said, almost at a loss for words.

"Why don't you pick out your trimming while you're here? We have a beautiful silver-colored satin that I believe would be wonderful for the sash. We could use some of it to trim the neck and the sleeves, too.

Dawn was already imagining what she would look like in it. It was embarrassing to admit it, but Dawn was feeling like Cinderella right then.

"I should have this finished in about a week," the seamstress promised, "then, you should come in for a fitting to make sure it fits you properly. If not, then I will make the necessary adjustments."

"Thanks," Dawn said.

As they walked out, Dawn had to hide a smile.

The color of the fabric was the same color as the Hessian's eyes.

_Oh no, not me  
Oh no, not  
Not me, not me_


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Thank you to all of my wonderful reviewers! I just love opening my emails and finding reviews! It makes my day! Chapter 7 up! Enjoy!

Chapter 7...Long Trip Alone

_It's a long trip alone _

_over sand and stone  
That lie along the road that _

_we all must travel down_

The evening was unusually chilly. As Katrina and Dawn came from the shop, Dawn carried the bundle in her arms. Her dress was finished and she was going to put it on that evening. People were talking merrily in the streets. They had become accustomed to Dawn's presence over the last week and no longer stared at her. There were, of course, a few people that still snubbed her, but Dawn didn't really care. She didn't expect everyone to like her anyway.

Most of them were friendly. Dawn couldn't keep track of all the people she knew, and it was a far cry from her university life.

Once again, the Hessian was on his hill. He and Daredevil stared down the hill at the town below. An almost-smile showed on his lips as he watched.

Dawn's face was rosy in the fading sunlight. It was autumn and was beginning to get dark earlier now. They made their way back to the horses and took off towards the Van Tassel manor. In a zigzag fashion, Klaus and Daredevil followed them so they wouldn't be heard.

Dawn carried the bundle inside. A prickling sensation at the back of her neck told her she was being watched.

She turned her head in time to see a black horse tail disappear. She struggled to stifle her laughter. This was getting increasingly common, it seemed.

Dawn was nervous about the situation even though she found it amusing. Books and movies weren't dependable on telling you how a person really was. She had decided not to act on it, at least not right now, but she enjoyed the idea that he might be paying attention to her.

She crept into the kitchen when she was supposed to be putting on the dress. Knowing which window he'd supposedly been at last time, she ladled some of the hot stew into an old bowl that she knew wouldn't be missed. She cut off a generous portion of the fresh bread that the cook had just taken out of the oven. Then, she placed them carefully in the now-empty flower box where the window was.

_So maybe you could walk with me a while  
And maybe I could rest beneath your smile  
Everybody stumbles sometimes and needs a hand to hold  
'Cause it's a long trip alone_

"I hope you'll be able to keep warm tonight," she whispered before closing it and tearing upstairs to get the dress on.

Klaus could smell the hot stew from the top of the hill. The wind was blowing in the perfect direction. For the first time in years, his stomach rumbled. It wasn't necessary for him to eat; he'd gone years at a time without eating and suffering no ill effects. He missed the way things tasted, the way his stomach would get warmed up as though he'd swallowed a candle. He missed being at a table with friends and cramming in as much food as you could just to have an excuse to be with them. He missed laughing at someone's less-than-tasteful jokes and daydreaming about the future.

That seemed so long ago.

He was jerked out of his thoughts when a smiling Dawn opened one of the windows. She looked left, then right, as though she were searching for something. Then, she retreated. She returned and, grinning like a schoolgirl with a naughty little secret, placed the food in the flower box before closing the window.

Klaus was almost afraid to move. He'd been off of Daredevil's back for some time now. Daredevil nudged him in the back.

_Go get it. She left it there just for you. Who else would she leave it for?_

Klaus didn't feel like arguing. He looked around carefully to make sure that no one was around. Then, he crept around the side of the house, ducking beneath the windows to avoid being seen. Then, he plucked his prize from the flower box and sat down by one corner of the house where there were no windows. Daredevil came over to join him.

It was strange how he'd taken so much for granted. One small act of kindness after years of people avoiding him, attacking him, or screaming at him seemed to overwhelm him. Warmth filled his insides and it wasn't just from the stew.

_It's a short piece of time _

_but just enough to find  
A little peace of mind _

_under the sun somewhere_

The moon was just a sliver tonight, but it was tipped over on its side. The moon looked as though it were either winking or smiling. It knew his secret either way. The stars seemed frosty in the navy blue sky. Klaus quickly placed the bowl back in the flower box.

There was a burst of laughter. He carefully crept over to the dining room window.

"Aww, come on! Don't make me come out there! Please let me go back and change!" Dawn's voice pleaded from somewhere outside.

"We want to see you first," Katrina told her.

A sigh.

"I'm not used to wearing dresses. This is really weird."

"Come on!"

Dawn, head bowed, entered the room and everyone became speechless. The soft icy-blue fabric did her justice where modern clothes never had. The silvery sash hugged her curves just right and the trim around the neckline and sleeves showed off her elbows and shoulders and neck. And still, she was shy.

Klaus's expression was one of surprise, humor, and admiration combined. Dawn did not seem to be the shy type. Not until now, anyway.

_So maybe you could walk with me a while  
And maybe I could rest beneath your smile  
You know we can't afford to let one moment pass us by  
'Cause it's a short piece of time_

"You look wonderful," Katrina told her.

"Yes, you do," Ichabod agreed.

Dawn was red in the face. She sat down and stared at the table.

The kitchen maids brought in the food. Dawn was more than happy to get off the subject of the dress. She was talking about how she and Flash were finally getting along. Everyone still chuckled at the idea of her being repeatedly thrown off.

_And I don't know where I'd be without you here  
'Cause I'm not really me without you there_

Klaus simply sat beneath the windowsill and listened. He learned a lot about Dawn; her love of music and art, her stubbornness, how she loved watching the sun rises here, how she actually liked Sleepy Hollow better than the place she used to live in so far, how she liked riding in the woods in the mornings, and how she wished things were this way at home.

Soon, dinner was over and he heard the scraping of chairs against the floor.

"I would like to take another look at-what do you call it? The strange instrument you play and the box that makes it loud?" Ichabod said.

"The guitar and the amplifier. Yeah, you can. Just don't take it apart to where you can't put it back," Dawn warned him, "that guitar's my baby and if anything happens to it, I would be very upset."

Her voice was smiling when she said it. Of course, she wouldn't hurt him.

"I will be very careful," Ichabod assured her.

The kitchen became quiet.

_Someone is coming,_ Daredevil warned, _I can smell them._

Not wanting a repeat of history, Klaus stiffly got up from the patch of grass he'd been sitting on and the two of them left before the rider on the road saw them.

Dawn came back into the kitchen. Curious, she opened the window. She retrieved the empty bowl, grinning.

"You're welcome," she whispered into the darkness.

Klaus was getting sleepy. It had been so long since he'd last eaten that his body wasn't used to being full. He was stiff from sitting still for so long, but he knew he would warm up soon.

_I think she likes you,_ Daredevil commented, watching his master strip off his armor for the night.

"She is still afraid," Klaus muttered, letting his armor slide to the floor, "even if she does care for me, her fear is too great."

_I seriously doubt that,_ Daredevil said, _Hanne loved you and she was once afraid._

Klaus's face hardened but it did not hide his pain. Daredevil knew him much too well.

"Hanne is dead," he snapped, "she has gone somewhere good and pure, just like her. I am dead. Dawn is alive. She would never love a corpse."

_A heart can be broken, even if it's no longer beating,_ Daredevil informed him. Deciding that any more arguments would probably anger his master, Daredevil went to his makeshift stable. Klaus sighed discontentedly and flopped over into his favorite beat-up old chair.

What was it that he wanted, anyway?

He closed his eyes and allowed the memories to surface. Memories of a face he'd very nearly forgotten over the years.

_So maybe you could walk with me a while  
Maybe I could rest beneath your smile  
Maybe I could feel right beside you 'til I'm home  
'Cause it's a long trip alone  
_


	8. Chapter 8 In the Arms Of The Angels

A/N: Thanks to my lovely reviewers! I love opening my inbox every morning and finding reviews. This is a very long chapter, but I hope it will be worth the read.

Klaus: Of course it is worth reading, it is about me.

Sybl: (stifles a laugh) Okay… on with the story then. By the way, this give you some insight on the Hessian's cough Klaus's past.

Chapter 8...In The Arms Of Angels (Hessian's Memories)

_Spend all your time waiting_

_for that second chance,_

_for a break that would make it okay_

_there's always some reason_

_to feel not good enough_

_and it's hard at the end of the day._

The Klaus of the past was not the Hessian horseman. Instead, he was more slender with less muscle. The journey of his life had not yet been etched into his face. His blue eyes were cheerful, bright, and hopeful. His inky-black hair was neatly combed and he wore a uniform. Under his arm, he carried his books.

_I need some distraction,_

_oh, beautiful release! _

_Memories seep through my veins._

_Let me be empty_

_oh, weightless, then maybe_

_I'll find some peace tonight._

Klaus had been sent to a military academy. His father was one of the richer men in town who forever had a solemn expression and took everything seriously. His mother was a plump auburn-haired woman who always had a smile for everyone. This was supposedly one of the best schools there was and they'd both been very excited for Klaus when he'd gotten his admissions letter.

Klaus wasn't very fond of the school, but he knew he would graduate soon. Being a soldier sounded like an adventure; it was all easy macho bragging back then: how you'd be loaded down with the spoils of war, how many men you'd kill, how many women you'd woo with your acts of courage, and how your country would honor you when you got home.

He was snapped out of his reverie when he saw someone he'd never forget.

She had bright red hair that was pulled into a tight braid. Judging by her freckles and blue eyes, he guessed that she was part Irish. She was laughing at something one of her friends had said. Klaus's heart began to pound. That was when he noticed her.

_In the arms of the angels,_

_fly away from here_

_from this dark, cold hotel room_

_and the endlessness that you fear._

_You are brought from the wreckage_

_of your silent reverie_

_and in the arms of the angels_

_may you find some comfort here._

Unfortunately, Klaus's English was not very good back then.

"Hallo, Fräulein." 1.

The other girls giggled.

Fortunately, she seemed to understand him.

"Good 'Morrow to ya!"

She dropped her voice to a whisper.

"Don't mind them- they just think yer handsome!"

Klaus's face flushed.

"Und was denken Sie?" 2.

She gave him a smile that made him go slightly redder.

"I can't help but agree with them," she said, her breath tickling his ear.

The other girls were whispering to each other now.

3."Ich muss gehen. Ich verspäte mich," Klaus said regretfully, looking at his pocket watch.

"Will ya meet me here when school's over?" she asked him. He nodded before jogging down the street. He would get in trouble for being late, but it was worth it.

Sure enough, his teachers were not pleased. Klaus had to do a lot of extra running. By the time he was done, he was ready to pass out, but he could not stop smiling. It was difficult to concentrate on his studies for the rest of the day and it seemed as though the day was going by very slowly.

Finally, they were dismissed. Klaus wandered down the street. The snow was beginning to fall again in tiny little flakes. His breath steamed from his nose and mouth and his cheeks were pink with the chill. The red-haired girl stood on the street corner, waiting for him.

"There ya are! I've been waitin'. I was tryin' ta ask other people if they'd seen ya, but I realized I forgot to ask ya yer name."

"Klaus," he informed her.

"My name's Hanne, even though I wasn't born here. My mother's the German in my family, my Da's Irish."

She shivered.

"What d'ya say we get out of this cold? Ma's probably got some hot tea goin' at home."

Without even thinking, she grabbed his hand. Klaus's face flushed again and he gave her a shy smile.

"Well, come on! Ya don't want to freeze, do ya?"

He followed her.

As they walked hand-in-hand down the street, Klaus felt as though he'd known her for forever. His heart fluttered pleasantly. Some of the other boys he went to school with gave him jealous looks. He was on top of the world.

At last, they reached a small house at the end of the street. It was a plain little house, but it seemed to beckon to him.

"All right. Let me take yer coat for ya," she said, as he slipped out of it. She hung it on a hook by the front door. Then, she removed her own coat and placed it on the hook beside his.

"Danke."4.

The house smelled like hot tea and baking pastries. There were several windows with lace curtains and the whole place was very warm and inviting.

"Ma! I'm home!" Hanne shouted.

"In the kitchen," a thick German accent answered.

Klaus followed Hanne.

"Who is this, mein Schatz?" 5.

"This is my friend, Klaus. Klaus, this is Ma. Ma makes the best hot tea in the world, don't ya, Ma?"

Right on cue, the tea kettle began to whistle. She poured him a cup.

"It is very cold outside," she commented, "this will warm you up."

"Danke sehr viel." 6. Klaus took a deep drink. Sure enough, it felt good going down.

They stayed at the kitchen table and talked for a long time. Klaus looked up in alarm when he realized it was growing dark outside. He thanked Hanne and her mother and went running home as fast as he could. Thankfully, no one was the wiser that he'd been gone so long.

That was only the beginning.

Klaus finished his studies at the academy and was trained as a full-fledged soldier. He had to undergo more training, but that was expected. He wondered when he would actually need these skills. He continued to court Hanne. They often took long walks together, just talking. Hanne was very honest and outspoken and he never had to worry about trying to read her. They grew closer by the day.

Then came the memory of their first kiss. It was a cool summer evening and they had been watching the sun set behind a beautiful little pond. Klaus was finally talking more now that his English had improved. They sat together in the grass. The sky was bright with stars and a huge, silvery moon.

Hanne moved to get up, but Klaus's arm held her.

"Stay with me," he told her, "just for a bit longer."

She grinned and leaned against his shoulder.

"How could I say no to those big blue eyes? All right, then, ya talked me into it!"

They sat in silence for a moment longer.

"I want you to always be in my life," Klaus whispered, then, swallowing hard- "I love you."

Hanne's eyes welled with tears, but she was smiling. She looked up at him, her eyes shining more brightly than the stars above. Then, their lips met.

Klaus felt as though an explosion had taken place inside of him.

Unfortunately, it didn't last. Klaus had given her a ring and they were engaged, but fate intervened. First, Klaus had gotten his drafting letter. He was torn inside- he wanted to go out and fight, to make his country proud, and to see new lands, but he didn't want to leave Hanne. Unfortunately, that decision was made for him.

_So tired of the straight life_

_that everywhere you turn,_

_there's vultures and thieves at your back_

_the stone keeps on twisting,_

_keep on building the lies_

_that you make up for all that you lack_

Klaus had been walking towards Hanne's house one evening when he heard the rough, ugly sounds of laughter, someone's laughter that indicated torture. A familiar voice screamed, high and shrill in the autumn air.

Klaus ran towards the sound, his heart in his throat.

"HANNE!" he shouted, trying to figure out where she was.

"KLAUS!" she shrieked.

There was the sickening sound of something striking flesh. Klaus rounded the corner and three men scattered.

His beautiful woman lay like a wilted rose on the sidewalk. The sage-green dress she'd been wearing was now stained with blood. Hanne was shaking violently. Most of the blood came from between her legs. Klaus cursed and knelt beside her.

"Klaus!" she gasped before spitting out a mouthful of blood. He lifted her as gently as he could off of the cold sidewalk, but she screamed in pain anyway.

"What happened, meine Liebe?"

"They- they..." she was struggling to breathe. Klaus did not wait for an answer. He ran towards Hanne's house. The door opened as he approached. Hanne's mother answered.

"MEINE GOTT! Hanne!" the woman shrieked. 7.

"I do not know what happened," Klaus told her, "all I saw were three men around her."

Hanne's father appeared at the top of the stairs and was down them faster than lightning. He gently took his daughter and lay her down on the sofa.

_It don't make no difference_

_escape one last time,_

_it's easier to believe..._

The doctor came. Klaus stayed all night. The doctor came and bandaged her up, but she'd been stabbed in the neck. Despite pressure on the wound, it would not stop bleeding. By morning, Hanne was dead.

_In this sweet madness,_

_all this glory and sadness_

_that brings me to my knees._

He'd held her hand in his, with his engagement ring still on it, until it grew cold and stiff. He'd numbly watched the coroners take Hanne away.

Within the next week, he was on a boat to America. All his other emotions had decayed until he'd had nothing but anger and bloodlust.

_In the arms of the angel,_

_fly away from here_

_in this dark, cold, hotel room_

_and the endlessness that you fear_

_you are brought from the wreckage_

_of your silent reverie_

_you're in the arms of the angels,_

_may you find some comfort here._

Klaus's body became heavy with fatigue brought on by emotion rather than physical tiredness. He allowed his eyes to close and his head drooped. It had been many years since he'd really allowed himself to remember his first and only love. She was still as much of a part of him today as she'd been back then. He never allowed himself the "what-ifs" because it did no good, but he knew his life would have been very different if Hanne were still alive.

Translations:

1. Hello, Miss.

2. And what do you think?

3. I must be going. I'm late.

4. Thank you.

5. My Treasure.

6. Thank you very much.

7. My God!


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Thanks again to all my loyal readers. I can't thank you enough.

A/N: Know what else? In honor of Valentine's Day, I've decided to make Dawn and the Hessian meet for the first time. As usual, read and review!

Chapter 9...I Really Want You

"Interesting," Ichabod commented. Dawn had given him a pile of textbooks to look at. Some of them were psychology books, a few of them were general education, and some were art. He was checking out the science book and looking at the chapter on electricity. They'd been trying to figure out a way to recharge the batteries on Dawn's iPod since she couldn't sleep without music.

"It's so deathly quiet at night," Dawn had complained one morning, "I keep waking up with adrenaline rushes."

She had dark rings under her eyes from having not slept well even with Katrina's remedies.

"I think I'm just gonna go for a walk," Dawn mumbled.

What she really did was get Flash out.

"Maybe you can help me out," Dawn told her, "you have ways of tiring me out."

Flash snorted.

"I mean that in a nice way," Dawn defended herself, giving her the usual bribe of sugar. Then, she got on her back.

They wandered into the woods. It was a very cloudy, misty day. Eventually, they came to a lake with a waterfall. The roaring filled the air around them.

"I think I just wanna sit here by the water," Dawn yawned, sliding off Flash and tying her reins to a tree branch. She stretched out on her stomach in the grass, watching the water. It was almost hypnotic. She was so busy staring at it that she didn't notice Flash pull her reins loose and wander off.

Dawn's eyes slid closed. The waterfall was just the perfect noise to lull her to sleep. The cool mist felt refreshing on her face; it had been unusually warm the last couple of days.

Klaus and Daredevil emerged from their tree. Daredevil was being very antsy and Klaus had no idea why. His horse would not say. The only thing he admitted was to "wanting to run without the tack on".

Puzzled, Klaus stripped off the tack and let Daredevil run. Deciding he could use the exercise, he walked the other way towards the lake and the waterfall.

He noticed a figure laying on the ground. At first, he was slightly alarmed because he recognized Dawn's golden hair. Was she hurt?

Upon closer inspection, she was just fast asleep. He could sense that she was exhausted. It was warm out now, but there was no telling how long she would be out here. He carefully removed his cloak and spread it over her. She stirred, but didn't wake up.

He sat on a rock behind her, debating on whether or not he should stick around once she woke up. Images of what had been flooded his mind.

_Many prophets preach on bended knee_

_many clerics wasted wine_

_do the bloodied sheets on those cobbled streets mean_

_I have wasted time?_

He inched closer to her, sliding down into the grass. He stretched out, his back resting against a tree. Apparently, Dawn thought his leg was a pillow because she rolled over and lay her head on his thigh. Klaus resisted the urge to squirm. Surprised, he looked down at her.

She was clueless, still out. He supposed she was dreaming because even in sleep, she had a thoughtful expression. He stripped his gloves off and stroked her face.

_Are there silver shores in paradise?_

_Can I come in from the cold?_

_I killed a man in a faraway land,_

_my enemy untold,_

Her skin was very warm, almost hot. Her curls felt softer than flower petals. He felt bad for her; his hands were rough and scarred from years of battle, but he couldn't stop touching her.

_I really want you to really want me_

_but I really don't know if you can do that_

_I know you want to know what's right_

_but I know it's so hard _

_for you to do that._

He scanned the world around him as though he were seeing it for the first time. Leaves were bright red, orange, yellow, and brown. They stood out sharply against the gray sky. The wind was soft and the world smelled of dried leaves and damp, rich earth. The world reflected itself in the calmer part of the lake as though it were a separate world of its own.

Klaus was thankful that part of his training taught him to sit still for very long periods of time. His leg was beginning to cramp, but he did not move.

_And time's running out as often it does_

_and often dictates that you can't do that._

Daredevil came out of the woods. If a horse could strut, that's what he was doing.

"Where have you been?" his voice was as low as he could make it to avoid waking Dawn up.

_Just having a bit of fun,_ Daredevil said, lowering his head to take a drink of water.

Dawn rolled over again and misfortune struck. She banged her head against Klaus's armor and woke up with a jolt. Her dark eyes widened as she sat up, entangled in his cloak. Daredevil raised his head to see what was going on.

Dawn swallowed hard. Her breath quickened and for one awful moment, he worried she would pass out. Without waiting, he grabbed both her wrists to keep her upright. Flash appeared at the edge of the forest.

_Fate can't break this feeling inside,_

_that's burning up through my veins._

"DAWN!" a voice shouted. Klaus mentally cursed. Ichabod.

Dawn opened her mouth, but she could not speak. Without waiting, Klaus stood up, pulled her to her feet, brushed the grass off of her shoulders, and put his cloak back on. Without waiting for Ichabod to reach the clearing, Klaus motioned to Daredevil to head for the woods.

"Wait!" Dawn finally found her voice. For one brief moment, Klaus smiled.

_I really want you,_

_I really want you..._

_I really want you_

_now, no matter what I say or do_

_the message isn't getting through_

_and you're listening to the sound_

_of my breaking heart._

"Another time, meine Liebe."

They took off.

Dawn was left standing there when Ichabod rode up on Gunpowder.

"I was wondering where you'd gone," Ichabod told her, "you've been gone for half a day! And I found a way to recharge these battery-devices. Here."

He handed her the iPod. Dawn put in the earpieces and turned it on.

"Wow, thanks!" she said.

She walked to the edge of the clearing and got Flash. Her stomach rumbled.

"I fell asleep," she admitted, "I didn't wake up until you called me."

"It is rather peaceful out here despite being so near the Hessian's tree," Ichabod commented as Dawn got on Flash, "Katrina says I won't get to eat until I bring you home."

Dawn giggled.

"Then I guess you're in trouble," Dawn laughed, "race you!"

She and Flash took off. Ichabod shook his head, laughing. The first time she did that, he hadn't known if she was kidding or not. Now that he'd gotten used to the game, he pushed Gunpowder after her.

Klaus watched her go.

"May I ask what you were doing for so long?" he asked Daredevil.

_Running with Flash. Eating with her. Why did you let Dawn go?_

"Because she is afraid. I don't want her to fear me more than she already does."

He shook his cloak out. Dawn's scent still clung to it.

_I really want you._

_Is a poor man rich in solitude_

_or would Mother Earth complain?_

_Did the beggar pray for a sunny day_

_but Lady Luck for rain?_

Dawn's mind was still on the Hessian long after the evening meal was eaten and it was time for bed. She waited until it was quiet. Her stomach trembled. Did she want to do this?

Klaus could sense her tension and he could not relax, either. He hoped that her curiosity would overcome her fear.

_The same million people bow and scrape_

_to an effigy of gold_

_I saw life begin and the ship we're in_

_and history unfold._

Moments later, Dawn slid out of the window and made her way down the tree. She hoped no one would notice that the door was locked and the window was opened. In jeans and a T-shirt, she made her way towards the woods. It was a longer walk than a ride, but it would be okay.

_I really want you _

_to really want me_

_but I really don't know_

_if you can do that._

_I know you want_

_to know what's right_

_but I know it's so hard_

_for you to do that._

Klaus sensed her presence closer. Maybe it would be easier for her if he just came out of the tree already. Daredevil was more than happy to take him up; he was thinking of a nice patch of tender grass nearby.

He sat down on one of the larger roots, one that could easily pass as a natural bench.

_And time's running out as often it does_

_and often dictates that you can't do that_

_Fate can't break this feeling inside_

_that's burning up through my veins._

Dawn appeared at the edge of the clearing. The moonlight bathed her in silver. She cringed when she realized he was sitting in the shadows; she hadn't noticed him a moment ago because he sat so still. A cloud blotted out the moon for a moment and made it nearly impossible to see. Slowly, tentatively, one silver shoe stepped forward, then the other. After what seemed like an eternity, she began to move towards the tree and towards him.

She was shaking, feeling small, cold, and her blood ran like ice through her veins. Her heart was beating dizzily against her chest and her thoughts were blurred and frantic.

_I really want you,_

_I really want you..._

_I really want you_

_now, no matter what I say or do_

_the message isn't getting through_

_and you're listening to the sound_

_of my breaking heart._

Dawn eventually reached him. The cloud moved away from the moon and it was shining on both of them now. The moon lit his electric blue eyes, making them brighter, more supernatural. She thought for sure she would pass out, but she didn't. She stood transfixed as he stared into her own dark eyes, the color of nighttime earth. Slowly, his hands grasped hers in a gentle greeting. His skin was so cold, like ice. Dawn squeezed them gently, hoping to transfer some of the warmth. Her breath was coming out in steamy clouds because it was chilly out here.

_no matter what I say or do,_

_the message isn't getting through_

_and you're listening to the sound_

_of my breaking heart..._


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: In case you were wondering where I got the title for this story, it's because of this chapter. As usual, thanks to all of you who read and review. Klaus and Dawn send their thanks. I'm still watching for reviews, so…

Chapter 10...Total Eclipse of the Heart

_(Turn around) Every now and then,_

_I get a little bit lonely_

_and you're never coming 'round._

_(Turn around) Every now and then_

_I get a little bit tired of listening_

_to the sound of my tears._

"You've been following me."

It was a statement, not a question. Dawn's voice shattered the silence, sounding abnormally loud. It sounded like a gunshot or a glacier cracking. Klaus was silent for a moment. He considered his answer very carefully. Only Dawn's hands shaking gave away the fact that she might have been nervous at all.

"You've been following me since I got here. Why?"

Her fingers tightened around his in a demanding manner. Klaus was impressed with her bravery; most women fainted when they saw him because they were afraid.

"Because you are different."

His own voice sounded completely alien to him. Dawn stood rigid, unmoving.

"I know everything that happens in Sleepy Hollow. I know of everyone that comes and goes. I felt your presence."

_(Turn around) Every now and then_

_I get a little bit nervous_

_that the best of all the years have gone by._

It sounded ridiculous to him. Dawn's presence was extremely strong and he was a little intimidated by it. Her fingers tightened around his and it almost hurt. It was as though she were piercing his soul with those dark eyes of hers, probing for any indication of falsehood. His own voice, his own words seemed inadequate for her. They were not to his liking, but he stumbled on, his speech steady but his brain faltering.

_(Turn around) Every now and then_

_I get a little bit terrified_

_and then I see the look in your eyes._

"They will never appreciate your strength, your stubbornness, and your bravery because you challenge them. You are not afraid to be different."

Silence overtook the woods again. Then, the beginnings of a smile showed on Dawn's lips.

"I may be a woman, but I'll never be a lady," Dawn said humorously, "they talk too much, don't eat enough, and wear enough ruffles to smother a full grown man. I don't give a crap about what society wants. Even where I came from and my attitude is considered normal, they still didn't like me much. But, that's just the way it is."

She settled down on the tree root beside him and the tension was broken.

"So, uh, you got a name? I know it's not 'Hessian' and I know it's not any variation of 'headless' or 'Horseman'."

_(Turn around, bright eyes) Every now and then I fall apart_

_Every now and then I fall apart_

_(Turn around) Every now and then I get a little bit restless_

_and I dream of something wild._

_(Turn around) Every now and then I get a little bit helpless_

_lying like a child in your arms._

_(Turn around) Every now and then I get a little bit angry_

_and I know I've got to get out and cry._

_(Turn around) Every now and then I get a little bit terrified_

_and then I see the look in your eyes._

He had turned to face her as she talked. As soon as she was done, his mind went blank. It had been so long since anyone used his name, it was hard to remember. It had been even longer since he gave anyone his name. Slowly, like a bubble from the bottom of a dark lake, it rose to the surface.

_(Turn around, bright eyes) Every now and then I fall apart._

_Every now and then I fall apart..._

"I am Klaus."

Dawn took his hand and gave it a firm shake.

"I take it you already know who I am."

"Yes."

"Why do you keep following me around, really? Did you just have a good laugh when Ichabod was trying to teach me riding?"

Seeing that she wouldn't get offended, he smiled, not even trying to hide his pointed fang-like teeth.

"It's okay," Dawn said sarcastically, "I know you feel terrible for me. Really, you can say it. Flash still isn't that crazy about me. She tries to kick me when I walk by, even on days I do everything right."

Klaus chuckled. His laugh was surprisingly easy on the ears. Nearby, Daredevil snorted.

"I don't suppose that one gave you any trouble," Dawn commented, looking up at the inky horse that nearly blended into the shadows.

"No. We are a team. Even in death, he has not left my side."

"From the way you say it, you sound almost like that's rare for you."

_And I need you now tonight,_

_and I need you more than ever,_

_if you would only hold me tight_

_we'll be holding on forever_

_and we'll only be making it right_

_cause we'll never be wrong _

_together we can take it to the end of the line_

_you're love is like a shadow on me all of the time._

She saw an expression of pain flicker across his face so fast that she almost doubted its existence. From somewhere in the distance, an owl hooted.

"It was. But, it does not matter."

_I don't know what to do,_

_I'm always in the dark,_

_we're living in a powder keg_

_and giving off sparks..._

"It does," Dawn insisted, "people weren't designed to be alone all the time. What kind of existence is that?"

"One fitting of all of the things I have done," Klaus mumbled, staring at her pale, slender hands, "of all the men I have killed. Of all of the others I have killed in the name of Lady Van Tassel."

_I really need you tonight,_

_forever's gonna start tonight,_

_forever's gonna start..._

There was a sharp edge in his voice at the mention of Lady Van Tassel. He stared at his own hands, remembering how much blood had soaked them.

"The last part was not your fault. The rest of it, I'm not sure about it, I wasn't there. There has to be something," Dawn said, "I have a hard time believing you're just a psychotic with a sword and a bad attitude. Even if that's what the legend says."

_One upon a time, I was falling in love,_

_now I'm only falling apart._

_There's nothing I can do,_

_total eclipse of the heart._

Klaus involuntarily cringed. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but it definitely wasn't that. He honestly hoped she would suddenly get scared and take off just so that he wouldn't need to carry the weight of what she'd said.

_Once upon a time, there was light in my life,_

_now there's only love in the dark._

_There's nothing I can say, _

_total eclipse of the heart._

He didn't answer and stared off into the distance. However, Dawn's eyes did not move and it made him uncomfortable.

_Every now and then I fall apart._

_Every now and then I fall apart..._

"Where is Flash?" he asked.

"At home, sleeping. I didn't bring her because she'd make too much noise."

"How are you going to get home?"

Dawn shrugged.

"I walked. I'm sure I can just go back the way I came. It's not really that far. Take two steps in Sleepy Hollow and you're on the other side."

He smiled again, liking her sense of humor.

"I will take you home."

Dawn tried to stifle a laugh and failed miserably.

"It's not that big of a deal," she said. He didn't understand what she was laughing at and it was getting worse. Finally, she gave in and told him.

"I suppose you're going to tell me that everyone and everything in these woods is scared to death of you and they wouldn't think twice about running? Been there, done that."

He shook his head.

"You should not say such things about yourself."

"But it's true," Dawn laughed, "I don't look like much, but I'm pretty strong. If all else fails, they're not going to drag two-hundred pounds around. I'm too heavy."

He decided not to down that road. Instead, he shook his head. Daredevil turned his head to look at her as they approached him. Then, he bent down so that it was easier for her to get on. Klaus climbed on behind her. She shivered a little when his cold armor touched her back.

"You should not be out so late," he told her, "it is too cold out here for a mortal."

"Bull. I've been out in twenty-degree weather before without a coat," Dawn argued, but she secretly agreed with him.

His breath caressed the back of her neck and his arms were protectively around her. It was nice to be riding a horse without doing all of the work. The sky was frosted with stars and brushed with clouds. The moon was still out. The trees stood black and motionless against the grass and leaves which now had a coating of silvery frost. The world seemed so peaceful, even when the man she both fantasized about and feared was at her back.

_And I need you now tonight,_

_and I need you more than ever,_

_if you would only hold me tight_

_we'll be holding on forever_

_and we'll only be making it right_

_cause we'll never be wrong _

_together we can take it to the end of the line_

_you're love is like a shadow on me all of the time._

The ride ended much too soon.

"The door's locked, so I gotta go back up the tree," Dawn laughed, "I hope I don't slip."

Klaus looked at the window she was preparing to climb into, then at the tree, then at her.

"You came down that way? Why?"

Dawn laughed.

"Why? Because I didn't want anyone knowing where I was going. Katrina would have given me this motherly disapproving expression, Ichabod would have passed out, and I'm not sure what Masbeth would have done. He probably wouldn't have liked it and told Ichabod."

Klaus laughed.

"Ichabod is so easily frightened. It is a good thing I never had to go after him. He would not have fought back. I was always grateful for when the others fought back because I thought they had chances."

Dawn slid off the horse, but she took his hand.

"Listen to me," she demanded, surprising him yet again, "it's over. O-ver. Not your fault. You have to stop beating yourself up over that. It might not even be what you did holding you here; it's probably your guilt because you didn't do anything about it."

_I don't know what to do,_

_I'm always in the dark,_

_we're living in a powder keg_

_and giving off sparks..._

Silence.

"God, I sound like Dr. Phil," Dawn joked, then, remembering that Klaus did not know who Dr. Phil was, she gave him a short explanation.

"Thanks for the ride," Dawn said, "and thanks for letting me have the cape-thing that one day. And letting me use you as a pillow. I should get inside now. See you later."

He watched her as she scrambled up the tree, unafraid of the height. She disappeared inside for a moment, then leaned back out so he could see her face. He waved goodbye and they headed back to his tree.

Dawn smiled, watching them go before she closed the window.

_I really need you tonight,_

_forever's gonna start tonight,_

_forever's gonna start..._

She stripped and put on the nightgown. Most of the time, she slept in her underwear because the nightgown was way too hot, but it was chilly in the room tonight. She slid under the covers, smiling.

_She likes you,_ Daredevil commented to Klaus, who had, once again, stretched out in the floor by the fire.

_One upon a time, I was falling in love,_

_now I'm only falling apart._

_There's nothing I can do,_

_total eclipse of the heart_

Emotions whirled through his insides like a violent storm. Klaus had not felt this way in years.

_She came to you, even though she was uncertain. Without Flash. In the middle of the night when she could have been attacked by a wild animal. She risked a lot and did not think about it._

Klaus was silent.

_Now what are you going to do?_

"I do not know," he answered truthfully, "the last to care for me was Hanne. My heart has been made of ice and stone since then."

_A heart that does not beat can still be broken,_ Daredevil informed him, _there are stronger things of this world than ice or stone, because even these can be broken, even melted._

He left his master to his thoughts.

Klaus got up and wandered to his bedroom. There, he undressed and slid between the blood-red sheets. He closed his eyes, but sleep did not come for a long time.

He was too busy thinking about Dawn.

He could still feel her firm grip on his cold hands. It seemed as though fire pulsed through her veins rather than blood; her hands were hot. There was fire beneath those dark eyes. He may very well have met his match. He'd always thought himself a force to be reckoned with, but his roughness, aggressiveness, and commanding demeanor paled in comparison to hers. Dawn was no mere lady, she was a tiger in a human's body.

At last, sleep overcame him.

_Once upon a time, there was light in my life,_

_now there's only love in the dark._

_There's nothing I can say, _

_total eclipse of the heart._


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: This chapter doesn't have a title because I couldn't come up with a song for it. So very sorry for the long wait; I've had a horrible case of writer's block.

Chapter 11

Despite Dawn's "odd behavior", she had managed to make another friend: a girl named Ann who was very similar to her. Anne lived alone because her parents had recently been taken by consumption, but Anne was strong and was determined to carry on. Dawn was helping her in the garden. Somehow or another, their conversation ended up on Klaus.

"So, you aren't afraid of the Hessian?" Ann asked.

"Afraid? Nah."

Dawn decided not to elaborate. She tossed a weed over her shoulder.

"I'm more afraid of what these goofy village boys when they're drunk than K- The Hessian."

Dawn realized she'd nearly let it slip and decided not to elaborate.

"I agree. I don't want to be married right now and I certainly don't want to be scandalized like Lady Van Tassel."

"Hello, girls," a voice said. Dawn and Ann looked up.

A boy stood by the fence. In his right hand, he held a time-beaten Bible. His fine copper-colored hair framed his round, freckled cheeks in such a way that Dawn hadn't expected his voice to be as deep as it was.

"Hi, John," Ann said, sounding annoyed. Dawn suppressed a smile and hacked at another weed.

John let himself in through the gate. He examined Dawn as she continued to attack the weeds. Her speed increased slightly, indicating her discomfort.

"I thought I knew everyone in Sleepy Hollow, but I don't believe I've met you," he commented, venturing closer. Dawn winced involuntarily and backed up.

"Yeah, I haven't been out much lately," Dawn lied, "I've been so busy helping Ichabod and Katrina that-"

He lifted her hands from the garden hoe.

"A lady should not be engaged in such mundane work," he told her, "her place is indoors where her beauty cannot be spoiled."

Dawn's dark eyes blazed, but he took no notice.

"I'm here to help Ann," she said, her voice steely and sharp, "and I can work just like everybody else, thanks."

She took the hoe from his surprised hands and hacked a weed near his boot with such aggressiveness that he backed away.

"I did not mean to offend you, my fairest Dawn, I only mean you the highest of compliments."

"You're not doing a very good job," she said boldly.

John looked at her, perplexed.

"Are you familiar with the Good Book?" he asked her. Dawn straightened up.

"I've been to church and I've read a few chapters, if that's what you mean," she told him in a voice that wished he would go away.

"I am to be the next reverend of this town," he told her, "your life would be good and safe in my hands."

Dawn was so shocked that she dropped the hoe, causing it to land on John's toe with a thud. He winced and nudged it aside with his other foot.

"You don't even KNOW me!" She grabbed the hoe again and chopped vigorously at a clump of weeds, imagining them each to be a part of John's body.

"We can get to know each other in time," John assured her, "God will guide us."

Dawn put her hands on her hips.

"Listen, John, I'm not from here. In my country, we do things way different. The more you talk, the worse you sound. I don't believe in loveless marriages, nor do I believe in marrying someone I haven't known more than five minutes. I'm sure you're a great guy, but someone like me would drive you crazy because of the way I am."

Finally satisfied that this conversation would go no further, John took his leave, seeming very disappointed and insulted.

Anne chuckled.

Klaus couldn't see Dawn from where she was, but he could sense her outrage, irritation, and frustration. He mentally connected with a blackbird so that he could see through its eyes. He let out a few colorful German phrases.

"Who does he think he is?"

At first, he was very worried until he saw the resistance Dawn was putting up. That made him smile, especially when she dropped the hoe on John's foot. Watching John's brooding form retreat, Klaus was grinning so that all of his sharp teeth showed. He would be willing to defend Dawn, whatever it took, but it seemed as though Dawn could defend herself much better than anyone else could. He decided he would try to talk to her again tonight.

As Dawn approached the manor, she forgot all about John and his goofiness. She'd had dinner at Ann's and was just walking back when she heard hoof beats.

"Now, who can that be?" she asked out loud, very sarcastically. She looked around, knowing Klaus was here somewhere. It both frightened and excited her that he could see her, but she couldn't see him.

She looked all around her. It was so quiet that every little sound made her jump. Wherever Klaus was, he was being completely still. The clouds covered the moon completely. From somewhere in the woods, a twig snapped.

"Okay, Klaus," Dawn called, "just because you're a ghost doesn't mean you need to act like it. Quit playing games with me and get out here where I can see you!"

Suddenly, a firm pair of arms wrapped around her like a python. Dawn let out a startled cry.

"There's no one but me, my angel," a voice slurred, "and I won't play games with you."

Dawn almost gagged. Whoever's breath it was, it reeked of alcohol. She recognized the voice as belonging to some middle-aged bum that was always in the taverns.

"Get off me, you sicko!" Dawn tried to shove him away, but his grip was too hard. And it wasn't the only thing that was too hard. He was shoving his intentions against the side of her hip.

"I mean it! Let go!" Dawn gave him an elbow to the ribs, but this only served to annoy her attacker.

"LET ME GO!" Dawn shouted.

"Scream all you want, love, no one's going to hear you out here."

Dawn took a deep breath in, but he smashed his meaty fist into the side of Dawn's head so that she saw stars. Dazed for a moment, Dawn couldn't regain her senses. He shoved her to the ground and pulled her skirt up. Dawn managed to get a well-aimed blow to his neck before he pinned her struggling legs down. Another good smack made blood trickle out of her mouth and down her chin.

Hoof beats were heard again, but these had a strangely hollow sound. Dawn didn't dare get her hopes up. Her assailant paused just long enough for Dawn to get one arm loose and land a blow to his fat chin.

"You little wench!"

He smacked her again. The sound was sickening and it echoed through the trees.

A dark blur knocked the man loose. Dawn struggled her way free and ran. Her heart pounded in her throat.

"No! Wait!" she heard her attacker yell. The familiar hiss of a sword being drawn answered. Despite her growing fear, Dawn hid behind a tree and carefully peeked out.

The flash of a blade came down on her attacker. An explosion of dark blood came up around his midsection: he'd been sliced cleanly in half. Dawn got sick.

Klaus stared at the corpse of the man. The idea of this bloated good-for-nothing taking HIS Dawn made him furious.

Off in the distance, he heard a sickening splatter. Poor Dawn. He needed to check on her.

Just as he almost reached the tree, Dawn came out, shaking and pale. Her breath was coming in short gasps and her skin was ashen in the darkness. She was still bleeding from her nose and mouth. The moment that she and Klaus locked eyes, Dawn froze. For a moment, he was afraid she'd pass out. She swayed uneasily for a moment, then leaned against the tree for support.

He ventured closer. Seeing that she didn't run, he lifted her chin so that he could see what damage was done. He used the edge of his cloak to wipe the blood away.

Her head would probably hurt tomorrow, but nothing too serious. Most of the blood was coming from a cut on the inside of her cheek. That would sting, but it would heal in a couple of days. Despite his attempts to be gentle, she winced several times, especially when he touched her left cheek. A bad bruise was already forming there.

Neither of them said anything for a long time. Then, Dawn threw both arms around him and hugged him tightly.

Unaccustomed to such a gesture, Klaus tensed for a moment. Then, very carefully, he returned it. His chin brushed against her forehead and he could feel the cold sweat that the attack had brought out.

_Never mind the old man,_ he thought, _he'll never be able to hurt Dawn again. Not after what I did to him. I won't let anyone hurt Dawn again if I can help it._

A gust of wind blew over them. Klaus was unaffected, but Dawn shivered.

"I will take you home," he told her. Without objection, she climbed on Daredevil behind him. He almost smiled when she rested her head against his shoulder, both arms wrapped around his middle.

_I don't want to leave you,_ he thought, _ever._

It wasn't as late as before, so Dawn went in through the front door. She'd quietly thanked Klaus for helping her out of "that great big mess" and said she'd see him later. Klaus watched her go. She walked with a slight limp and he'd wondered if she'd hurt her leg, too. He didn't leave until he was sure she was inside.

_What are you going to do with the old man?_ Daredevil asked.

"What do you mean? He drew his last breath long ago," Klaus said irritably.

_I mean with the body. If the others find it, they're going to come after you again._

Klaus sighed. He didn't want to take the time to bury the old fart, but he had to dispose of him one way or another.

They retraced their steps back to the old man. Klaus felt sick inside just looking at him. Being careful not to get the blood on him, he hauled the old man over his shoulders to the river. Satisfied that the current was very fast, he tossed him in and watched the body get sucked under by the current. Then, he kicked dead leaves over the drying blood.

"Do not worry, Meine Liebe," he whispered to the wind, "no one will hurt you again."

The next morning, Dawn was surprised to wake up in her own bed. Katrina was sitting in a chair beside her. Ichabod was in the other chair, but he was fast asleep.

"What happened?" Dawn mumbled, clutching her pounding head.

"You came in with blood on your face," Katrina told her, "then, you passed out."

Dawn groaned, remembering the night's events.

"You said something about an older man attacking you, then a man named Klaus defending you. You also said he brought you home."

Dawn nodded.

Ichabod awoke while they were talking. Katrina had made some kind of paste from a bunch of herbs. She massaged it into Dawn's skin. Almost instantly, the pain lifted.

"This Klaus sounds like a very brave man," Ichabod commented, "not many would brave the Western Woods at night. Next time, you should take Flash with you."

"I will," Dawn mumbled.

"Klaus. That name sounds German," Ichabod commented. Dawn's heart began to race.

"Do I know him?" he asked.

"Maybe," Dawn said vaguely. She desperately wanted to tell them both, but she was afraid.

"Ichabod, why don't you take Joseph to town? I would like to talk to Dawn alone," she told Ichabod. Ichabod went down stairs in search of Masbeth.

"Dawn, is there something you want to talk about? You've been acting awfully strange lately," Katrina told her.

"Do you promise not to freak out, tell anyone, or otherwise try to act on the situation?" Dawn asked.

Katrina hesitated, but agreed. She gave Dawn a cup of hot tea and poured another for herself. Dawn slowly sat up when the pain had subsided in her head.

"Klaus is the Hessian," Dawn said finally.

Katrina choked violently on her tea. She set the cup down quickly with a trembling hand.

"You've met...the Hessian?" Katrina's eyes were wide.

"Yeah. He's really not as bad as everybody thinks he is. He's never once tried to hurt me or anything. He was the one that saved my butt last night. If he hadn't come when he did, I'm not sure what that old man would have done."

Katrina was silent, taking a moment to digest this. Dawn sipped at her tea and stared out the window. It was a cold, cloudy day.

"Dawn, do you realize, truly, whom you're dealing with? He was trained to be a cold-blooded killer," Katrina said in a mother-like tone, "he may think for himself now, but what if someone else comes along and tries to control him? What if he ever loses his temper with you?"

"Everyone's capable of killing," Dawn countered, "it's not any different than if I were to say, go out with John. John could get mad at me and stab me in the neck with a kitchen knife or something. In fact, I think John's more dangerous than Klaus is."

Katrina shook her head.

"Dawn," she protested, "you weren't there when these things were happening. He killed my father."

"I know, and I'm sorry about that," Dawn argued, "but he wasn't in control of his actions then. He only killed that other guy because he wanted to protect me. He cares about me."

It was the first time she'd even admitted it to herself.

Katrina sighed.

"I'm not your mother and I can't stop you from being friends with him, but please be careful," Katrina begged her.

"Okay," Dawn sighed. She got up and went behind the screen to get dressed.

Despite the cold, Dawn wasn't in the mood to stay indoors. She went for a walk, this time, keeping a small knife tucked into the sash of her dress.

"Dawn!" a voice called.

Dawn moaned. Of all the people she didn't want to see right now...

John came running towards her.

"Dawn, I-" he stopped suddenly, "what happened to your face?"

"I got into some trouble last night, but it's all fixed," Dawn said vaguely.

"The things Satan won't do to get at an angel," John said, shaking his head.

"Well, uh," Dawn was getting ready to take off, but John took her hand.

"Come, Dawn. Come and have some hot tea with me."

Dawn reluctantly followed him. It was very cold out here, and she could use something to warm her up.

John retrieved two steaming mugs from his kitchen. His home was simple; most preachers' houses were. There were Bibles everywhere as well as things depicting Jesus.

"Thanks," Dawn said, truly meaning it.

She sipped at the tea. John, being his usual self, chattered on and on. It was all Dawn could do not to claw her own ears off. Finally, her stomach rumbled. She looked at the sun outside.

"Well, thanks for the tea, but I told Annie I'd go eat with her," Dawn said, quickly setting the cup down and excusing herself. She almost banged into Ichabod, who was approaching the door.

"Hello, Dawn. I didn't expect to see you here," he lied.

"Just don't," Dawn hissed under her breath, "you stink at lying."

Then, she resumed a normal tone.

"So, what brings you here?" she asked.

"The body of David Hunt has been found downriver, cauterized wounds. I intended to ask John a few questions because he was the last person to see him alive."

Dawn bristled visibly. She tried to tell herself that John hadn't had anything to do with it, but it didn't work. She stormed off in a huff without another word. Ichabod shrugged his shoulders and tapped on the door.

"I hate him! He's such a pain!" Dawn complained as she and Ann sat down at the table.

"John or Ichabod?" Ann asked sarcastically.

"John, of course. He's been following me, I just KNOW it," Dawn roared, "and if he doesn't stop it, I'm going to take the nearest kitchen knife and castrate him myself!"

Ann burst into laughter at Dawn's forceful speech.

"You will if Klaus doesn't," Ann told her.

Dawn's heart nearly stopped beating.

"What?!" Dawn's face went white.

Ann smiled.

"You're not the only one who talks to our dear Hessian friend," Ann told her.

A/N: Oh noes! A cliffhanger! Shame upon me! Hahahaha. As usual, I love reviews.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Yes, I know, short chapter! But I figured this song would have some significance in what is to come. As usual, I love reviews. Thanks to my loyal readers for those much-loved reviews.

Chapter 12...Love Song

"I met him soon after I lost my parents," Ann began, "I'd been riding through the woods on Clover. I don't know what the Hell I was thinking. She wasn't very well trained back then. She spooked at something and threw off. Worst of all, she threw me off against the tree. I went unconscious. When I woke up, I was laying in my own bed. He'd started a fire in my fireplace and had covered me up. I opened my mouth to scream, but he put his finger to his lips. It was almost like I couldn't scream. Then, he told me I was going to be okay once my head stopped hurting. Then, he left. I went back into the woods to thank him. I don't talk to him much, but when I do, he knows I'm glad to see him."

Dawn grinned. Finally, someone she could talk to!

"What happened to your face?" Ann finally asked.

"Some old guy tried to get me in the woods. He got a couple of good hits in before Klaus got him," Dawn said, "I was so glad to see him even though I was a little bit nervous."

"You have a thing for Klaus, don't you?" Ann asked.

Dawn's face reddened.

"Maybe," she said, not really sure herself.

Unlike Katrina, Ann seemed happy for her.

"He does have a certain dangerous beauty about him, doesn't he? You could always feel safe with him and you would definitely be protected. Things would never be boring, either."

"No, they wouldn't," Dawn admitted, trying to imagine what life would be like with him.

"I think Ichabod and Katrina want me to date John, though," Dawn complained, "I really don't care for him."

"Most women don't," Ann agreed, "he's rude, forceful, long-winded, and likes to shove his beliefs in everyone else's face."

Dawn shuddered.

"What am I going to do though? He's immortal and I'm not," Dawn wondered aloud.

"Worry about that later," Ann told her, "I'm sure Katrina can think of something."

The rain stopped when they were halfway through the meal. Dawn and Ann decided to go for a walk.

"Look!" someone exclaimed.

A wagon had turned over. Several men were hauling the cargo out to see if it was damaged.

It was a piano.

"It doesn't seem to be hurt on the outside," one of the men said, "but how do we tell if the inside's broken?"

Ann pushed Dawn forward.

"You play all kinds of instruments," she told her, "go see."

Dawn pecked out a tune on the piano. The notes rang brilliantly in the streets. She began to play a familiar song, singing with it as her fingers danced across the keys. Coincidentally, John happened to wander over there to see what was going on.

"Head under water  
And they tell me to breathe easy for a while  
The breathing gets harder, even I know that  
You made room for me but it's too soon to see  
If I'm happy in your hands..."

John seemed to think she was about to profess her undying love to him, but the next set of lyrics surprised him. Klaus could hear her from the top of the hill.

"I'm unusually hard to hold on to  
Blank stares at blank pages  
No easy way to say this  
You mean well, but you make this hard on me..."

Dawn's voice rose slightly in volume. By now, Ichabod and Katrina had also joined the crowd.

"I'm not gonna write you a love song  
'cause you asked for it  
'cause you need one, you see  
I'm not gonna write you a love song  
'cause you tell me it's  
Make or breaking this  
If you're on your way  
I'm not gonna write you to stay  
If all you have is leaving I'm gonna need a better  
Reason to write you a love song today..."

The crowd cheered and clapped. The men, seeing the piano wasn't injured, managed to get it inside the church. Dawn hated to see it go, but it would be okay. As she rode home behind Ichabod and Katrina's horse, Dawn couldn't help but finish the song. John insisted on following them, and despite her obvious lyrics, he did not get the hint.

"I learned the hard way  
That they all say things you want to hear  
And my heavy heart sinks deep down under you and  
Your twisted words,  
Your help just hurts  
You are not what I thought you were  
Hello to high and dry  
Convinced me to please you  
Made me think that I need this too  
I'm trying to let you hear me as I am"

Dawn excused herself to go lay down once they got back on the grounds that she had a headache. Instead, she quietly played her guitar on the bed. Klaus was outside, listening.

"I'm not gonna write you a love song  
'cause you asked for it  
'cause you need one, you see  
I'm not gonna write you a love song  
'cause you tell me it's  
Make or breaking this  
If you're on your way  
I'm not gonna write you to stay  
If all you have is leaving I'm gonna need a better  
Reason to write you a love song today..."

Before anyone could intervene, John came up to "check" on Dawn. Klaus could feel her irritation as she tried to get him to leave. He did, but first, he placed his hand on her head and prayed a lengthy prayer out loud for her. Dawn smoothed her mussed hair and stuck her tongue out at the closed door.

"Promise me that you'll leave the light on  
To help me see with daylight, my guide, gone  
'cause I believe there's a way you can love me  
Because I say  
I won't write you a love song  
'cause you asked for it  
'cause you need one, you see

I'm not gonna write you a love song  
'cause you tell me it's make or breaking this  
Is that why you wanted a love song  
'cause you asked for it  
'cause you need one, you see  
I'm not gonna write you a love song  
'cause you tell me it's make or breaking this  
If you're on your way  
I'm not gonna write you to stay  
If your heart is nowhere in it  
I don't want it for a minute  
Babe, I'll walk the seven seas when I believe that  
There's a reason to  
Write you a love song today  
Today..."

As soon as John had disappeared, Dawn switched her iPod on and played the song where anyone in the house could hear it.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13...Your Momma Don't Dance

"So, what is this called again? A 'sleepover'?" a girl named Jane asked.

"Yep," Dawn answered, "a lot of the so-called village girls do it."

Besides Dawn and Ann, there was Jane, Emily, Violet, Samantha, and Mary.

"Okay," Dawn said, "the first thing we're going to do is get comfortable. Everybody go change into their nightgowns."

The girls all ran upstairs. Dawn went into the kitchen. After telling a confused maid to take the evening off, Dawn tried to remember how it was that her dad's pizza recipe went. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts, she remembered. She also made popcorn and hot tea (since they didn't have any chocolate for hot chocolate). The kitchen maid had done a large amount of desserts just for this occasion.

Instead of having the guest rooms, Dawn had grabbed a bunch of pallets and made them out in the floor, laying them in a half-circle. She piled pillows up on them and retrieved her laptop computer from upstairs. Ichabod had offered her one of his giant magnifying glasses and she carefully sat that in front of it.

"Just like a giant plasma-screen," Dawn said proudly, "thanks."

The girls stampeded downstairs in their nightgowns, robes, and slippers. Ichabod and Katrina were going to hang around for the movie because they were curious about it.

Dawn brought all the snacks into the living room and lay them in the middle of their half-circle.

"But isn't it improper to eat anywhere but the kitchen?" Emily asked.

Dawn laughed.

"Sleepovers aren't about being proper," Dawn told her, "they're about fun."

They carefully sat down on their pallets.

"Not like that," Dawn said impatiently, "like this!"

She flung herself down on the makeshift mattress belly-first. The other girls tried it. They were soon dissolved in fits of giggles.

"All right, let's start the movie," Dawn said when they'd calmed down.

She clicked a few things on the computer screen, then the movie came on. It was one of Dawn's favorites: Music and Lyrics. They all wolfed down the snacks and commented on various things throughout the movie. The scene where the two actors made love under the piano made Ichabod turn red in the face, Katrina to stifle a laugh, and Dawn to laugh. The other girls were gasping, disbelieving that such things happened between two unmarried people.

When the movie was over, they began talking.

"I would love to have a man like him," she said, "I can't find one, however, and my father wants me to marry Jacob."

"Not Jacob!" they all yelled. Everyone knew Jacob by his stench. The man rarely bathed if he could help it and his idea of being romantic was to slap the girls on their butts as he walked by.

"You have a choice not to, right?" Dawn asked.

Jane sighed.

"I wish I did," she said, "I don't like him. My parents aren't even thrilled about my being here. They said you don't behave as a lady should."

Dawn laughed.

"Here's something else I thought I'd show you," she said, getting out her electric guitar and her portable amplifier. She also got out her iPod and plugged it into the speaker. Dawn began to play her guitar along with the music.

"Your momma don't dance

and your daddy don't rock and roll,

you're momma don't dance

and your daddy don't rock and roll,

when evening rolls around

and it's time to go to town,

where do you go?

To rock and roll?"

The girls watched her dancing and eyed each other nervously. Ann began trying to imitate her. Dawn looked straight at Jane as she sang the next lines.

"The old folks say

that you gotta end your date by ten.

If you're out on a date,

don't you bring it home late

cause it's a sin.

There just ain't no excuse

and you know you're gonna lose

and never win.

And I'll say it again."

It didn't take long for the others to pick up on the chorus. Ichabod watched with amusement, a grinning Katrina beside him. No one noticed the icy blue eyes peering into the window behind them.

"Your momma don't dance

and your daddy don't rock and roll," (They all sang)

Your momma don't dance

and your daddy don't rock and roll.

When evening rolls around

and it's time to go to town, where do you go?

To rock and roll?"

Emily and Jane were mortified at the idea of swinging their hips around. Dawn and Anna were dancing like there was no tomorrow. Dawn got out of rhythm a couple of times on the guitar, but when she slowed down, she got back on track. Mary wasn't that great of a dancer, but she was trying.

The song ended much too soon. Dawn was out of breath and so was Ann.

"I'm beginning to think you're right," Jane said as they sat down on their makeshift beds, "I DON'T want to marry him. He's been trying to do things to me since he met me. He says he'll get me to marry him one way or another. I'd much rather marry Devin. We've been friends since we were children and we've even kissed once."

The girls "aww"-ed in unison.

"You should marry him, then," Dawn told her, "listen to your heart."

"Mother says if he proposes to me tomorrow that I must accept," Jane said sadly, "but that's all the time father will give him. I do hope he falls ill or something, not fatal, of course, but just enough to keep him gone all day."

The blue eyes in the window disappeared. The faint gallop of hooves was heard, but no one paid attention.

"It'll work out," Dawn said, patting her on the shoulder.

She put another movie in. This time, it was a comedy. The girls had the time of their lives laughing at it. Soon, however, they had all dozed off.

Klaus glanced backwards at the Van Tassel manor as he rode away, a sinister grin on his face. Dawn would kill him if she knew he'd been eavesdropping, but he had a plan nonetheless.

The Jacob man they'd been discussing was staggering around the yard, drunk. Klaus's grin widened.

"This will be too easy," he mumbled.

He followed Jacob's reeking form into the barn. A cry of terror was heard, then a loud BANG! Klaus emerged, dragging Jacob out by his legs. He laughed to himself.

"I can't blame her," he mumbled as he dragged Jacob back into his house. He was only concerned about Jane because Dawn was, but a small part of him pitied Jane. Jacob had stumbled through the woods several times because he'd gotten drunk along the way. Klaus particularly did not like him because Jacob had "watered" his tree once. Besides that, he was loud, noisy, and stupid. Klaus had no patience for stupid people.

He kicked the trapdoor open to the cellar and was about to toss Jacob in when the miserable pain in the butt started regaining consciousness. Klaus flipped him over, trying to figure out what was heavy enough to-

Jacob woke and their eyes met.

"AAAHHHH!"

Jacob passed out. Klaus shook his head and carelessly tossed him into the cellar. Then, he locked the door. As a finishing touch, he braced a chair against the latch.

"Das sollte arbeiten. Er sah es nicht kommen." 1.

Klaus exited the house, feeling like a naughty schoolboy. He'd finally done something to help someone else and none of it involved killing.

He ventured back up to the Van Tassel manor and peered in the window again. Ichabod and Katrina had gone to their rooms. The girls were fast asleep by the fire. Dawn was on the far right of the half-circle their pallets were in. She had thrown her covers off sometime in her sleep. She lay on her stomach with one leg straight, the other bent and pulled up almost to her chest. Her arms curled around her pillow as though she were hugging it. Her mouth was open a little.

She looked like a child, innocent. Satisfied that everything was all taken care of, Klaus and Daredevil went home.

The next morning, Dawn and Ann were greeted by an ecstatic Jane.

"Guess what?! I get to marry Devin! Father even went to Jacob's house and he wasn't there! He says if Jacob can't respect time, he's not worth it! Oh, I can't believe my luck!"

She hugged them both so hard that their ribs almost broke.

"Congratulations," Dawn said.

"I want you to sing at our wedding," Jane told her before running off again.

"You don't suppose..." Ann started to ask.

The girls grinned conspiratorially.

"I wouldn't put it past him," Dawn said, "although I wonder how he found out in the first place."


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: YAAAY! Writer's Block is over! This was my favorite chapter to write, so I hope you guys like it. As usual, reviews are most welcome and I need serious help because I'm having translation issues. The online ones (SIGH) don't always work. I try to check them by reverse-translation so I don't get a bunch of stuff that doesn't make sense, but I don't always catch it. Thanks for your patience.

Chapter 14...Bubbly

"What's going on with you? You're getting kind of porky," Dawn commented as she loosened the buckle on Flash's saddle girth, "that's two notches this month."

The first snow had fallen last night, but Dawn didn't feel like staying in. She'd had a new dress made, one that was much warmer. This dress was a wonderful plum color made of velvet. It had plenty of layers on it to keep her warm. It had gold trimmings that matched her hair. Over that, she wore a white coat. She also had warm leather shoes.

"All right. Looks like we're all set," Dawn said, climbing onto Flash's back.

She and Flash rode quietly for a while. She watched the falling snow for a little while, white and sparkling. The world had an almost bluish tint to it. Flash headed farther into the Western Woods. Dawn let her. After all, what was there to be afraid of?

She gazed at the river, half-frozen. The snow was soft, pure, and white here. Animal tracks printed it and made it look like a blanket of lace. She looked up at the sky. She looked at the trees all around her. The world was so quiet that she could hear the slight "pfft" noise that the snow made as it hit the ground. Flash paused to drink from the river. Dawn slid off of her back.

She looked around again. It was like something from a fairy tale. She held both arms, closed her eyes, and spun around in circles. Then, she flipped herself into a drift. Spreading her arms and legs apart, she made a snow angel.

As Dawn was about to sit up, a snowball pelted her in the face. Sputtering and spitting out snow, Dawn scrambled up. Ann stood there, laughing.

"I figured you would come out here," she said, leading Clover over, "it's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yep," Dawn said, brushing the snow off of her face. Carefully, she formed a snowball behind her back. When Ann least expected it, she returned fire.

Anne looked at her in shock for a moment. Then, laughing, she gathered up more snow. They ran through the woods, chasing after each other with snowballs. The horses, looking as though they disapproved, followed patiently and tried to stay out of the line of fire.

Dawn ducked one of Ann's snowballs and caught her square in the chest. Ann shrieked and returned fire. It hit Dawn harmlessly in the stomach.

Klaus and Daredevil emerged from their tree. Klaus slid off of the horse and snuck towards the two girls.

_I've been away for a while now,_

_you got me feeling like a child now_

Dawn was picking up speed now and pelting Ann relentlessly with snowballs. She was standing under a small tree. Effortlessly, he kicked it and a pile of snow fell on Dawn's head. For a moment, she stood there, surprised and dumbfounded. Then, she wiped the snow away from her face.

_Cause everytime I see your bubbly face,_

_I get the tingles in a silly place._

"HEY!" she sputtered. Klaus laughed.

"Thanks for that," Ann told him.

Dawn ran towards him and pounced on him, knocking him to the ground. She grabbed a handful of snow and rubbed it in his face. Right as she was about to get away, he tripped her and she landed face-first. They tumbled around, play-fighting each other. Ann was flinging snow at both of them.

_It starts in my toes, _

_makes me crinkle my nose_

_wherever it goes_

_I always know_

_and you make me smile_

_please stay for a while now_

_and just take your time_

_wherever you go._

Dawn was trying to get up, but she was laughing too hard. Klaus went to pin her down again, but he slipped, nearly landing on top of her. Her laughing stopped abruptly when his lips brushed hers. Instantly, her cheeks burned red. Ann was laughing her head off. Klaus was just as surprised as Dawn was. Carefully, he got up and held his hand out for her. She took off and hopped onto Flash's back. Daredevil came running and didn't even have to pause for Klaus to get on.

"Can't catch me!" Dawn yelled.

"I can!" Ann yelled.

Flash surged forward. Daredevil was right behind her. Dawn turned to look at Klaus, a naughty school-girl grin on her face.

_Don't worry, Klaus, I won't let her beat us!_

Daredevil was as much into this game as his master was. Ann was lagging behind, but she would catch up if she kept going.

They weren't paying attention to where they were going. They were headed straight into town.

On the bridge, they were neck and neck. Dawn was leaning low over Flash, almost laying flat against her neck. Flash glanced over at Daredevil and laid her ears back for a moment.

A surprised old lady jumped out of the way just in time. Dawn managed to steer Flash around a wagon, but Klaus didn't see it in time and, thankfully, Daredevil jumped over it. The driver went pale and almost passed out.

A herd of chickens fluttered out of the way, clucking angrily. People were staring and pointing by now.

They went straight down the street right through the middle of town. Dawn was laughing her head off.

"IT'S THE HESSIAN!" a woman shrieked.

There was a little boy in the road. Dawn let out a startled cry and Flash sailed over him effortlessly. The kid wasn't even aware of what happened until his mother ran out in the street and picked him up.

They thundered up the hill towards the manor, but didn't stop. Instead, they slowed to a walk.

"I think we scared some people," Dawn said, her breathing slightly ragged herself, "and we lost Ann."

It was true. Ann was nowhere to be found and they could hear no hooves in the distance.

"Good Flash," Dawn told her horse, "you're a lot faster than I gave you credit for."

Flash turned to look at her as if saying "What do you expect?"

"I could swear she talks to me when she does that," Dawn said, giving the horse an affectionate pat.

"She does," Klaus told her, "they all do. Most people do not listen."

Dawn gazed thoughtfully at Flash's head.

"I suppose yours does, too," she said, more to herself than to Klaus.

"He understands everything you say," Klaus informed her.

Dawn reached over and scratched Daredevil behind the ears.

"He likes that," Klaus commented, "and he thinks Flash is beautiful."

"Flash is getting porky," Dawn commented, "I had to loosen up the saddle strap. I can't figure out why she's getting so fat."

Klaus gave Daredevil a suspicious look. If horses could grin, he was doing it.

_I don't suppose you have had anything to do with this,_ Klaus asked silently.

_I sure did,_ Daredevil said, sounding very sly, _I don't suppose you noticed the times you were watching Dawn and I'd disappeared._

Klaus suddenly burst into laughter.

"What?" Dawn asked, clueless about the conversation. It took Klaus a moment to calm down. He hadn't laughed like this since God-knew-when.

"Your horse," Klaus gasped, trying to catch his breath, "is with child."

Dawn's eyes got wide.

"Fla-ash! You been keeping secrets from me? I thought we were buddies!" Dawn teased. Flash snorted.

"I was wondering what her deal was," Dawn joked, "she seems kind of moody lately."

Klaus shook his head, a chuckle escaping his throat.

"Man," Dawn mumbled, "just when I thought things couldn't get any stranger. Let's go find Ann and get someplace warm."

Ann eventually caught up to them.

"That was some kind of race," Ann commented as they made their way back to the Van Tassel manor, "Clover didn't want to even try to keep up."

"Fun, though," Dawn commented as they reached the stables.

"Let's put them at the end. Ichabod never checks there. Neither does Masbeth," Dawn said. Soon, the three horses were happily sharing a pile of hay.

"Let's go in and grab some hot tea. Ichabod and Katrina are working on wedding stuff and they won't be back all day," Dawn informed them.

_The rain is falling on my windowpane_

_but we are hiding in a safer place_

_undercover staying dry and warm_

_you give me feelings that I adore_

It was pleasantly warm in the manor. Klaus took his cloak off because it was full of snow that would melt and leave water everywhere. Dawn stripped away her coat and shook the snow out of her hair. Ann did the same.

It had been so long since Klaus had been in someone else's house for a visit that it felt alien to him. Dawn motioned them to follow her.

"Ha ha ha! Look what I found!" Dawn exclaimed. There was an apple pie sitting on the kitchen counter that looked like it was fresh from the oven.

"I hope our kitchen maid doesn't throw a hissy fit about this."

Dawn rifled through the cupboards until she found three plates and three spoons. Carefully, she cut the pie and gave them each a generous-sized piece. Then, she found the mugs for the tea and poured it.

"So, what did you do to Jacob?" Dawn asked. Klaus had been about to take a bite of pie, but it fell off of his spoon with a _plunk_. He was a split-second too late to hide his surprise.

_They start in my toes,_

_make me crinkle my nose_

_wherever it goes,_

_I always know_

_you make me smile_

_please stay for a while now_

_and just take your time wherever you go._

"How did you figure that out?" he asked.

"Gut instinct," Dawn replied, "you're getting predictable."

Oops. She'd known he was listening in on the sleepover.

"You didn't kill him, did you?" Ann asked.

"Of course not. I locked him in the cellar. He escaped the next evening," Klaus said dismissively.

"Good idea. Jane's thrilled, you know. Her wedding's coming up soon," Anne said.

Dawn took a drink of tea.

"So is Ichabod and Katrina's, provided he doesn't faint at the altar," Dawn joked. Everyone chuckled.

There was a knock at the door. Dawn went to answer it. Ann stood at the door of the kitchen, unsure what to do.

"Holy sh-" Dawn cursed quietly before she opened the door. Behind her back, she made a "hide Klaus" gesture. Anne grabbed the plates of pie with one hand and Klaus's wrist with the other. She whisked Klaus up the stairs just as Dawn let John in.

"Hello, Darling," John purred, "you look lovely today."

"I wish I felt that way," Dawn said, pretending to have a plugged-up nose, "I'm not feeling very well at the moment."

She faked a very loud sneeze. John jumped backward.

"Sorry to hear that," he said sympathetically, "I do hope you're not allergic to me. You seem to be ill everytime you're around me."

Dawn resisted the urge to yell "DUH!". Instead, she just smiled sweetly and dabbed at her nose with a handkerchief.

"Well, I hate to chase you off, but-"

John slipped past her and stepped into the house. Dawn was shocked at his audacity. Upstairs, Ann was trying to pull Klaus away from the stairs.

"Get back here! Do you want him to see you? Come on!" she hissed, trying to restrain an increasingly irritated Klaus.

"Dawn, dearest, I could afford the best doctors for your poor health," John whispered, "in exchange for your heart."

"We've been over this, John," Dawn told him firmly, "you're just not my type."

She staggered backward when he grabbed her and firmly kissed her on the mouth. She coughed and sputtered, grimacing. A low growl escaped Klaus's throat. It took nearly all of Ann's strength to hold him still.

"John, get out before I knock you out!" Dawn shouted.

He sent her a seething stare, one heated with anger and lust.

"I won't give up," he warned her, "I will get you to marry me one way or another."

Dawn slammed the door in his face.

"Stupid little piece of-"

She said a string of colorful things that made Ann gasp and Klaus chuckle.

Ann left shortly afterward, but Klaus stayed. The two of them sat by the fireplace.

_What am I gonna say,_

_when you make me feel this way?_

"I can't stand John," Dawn complained, "he can't take no for an answer. For all his scriptural knowledge, he's the dumbest man I've ever met."

Klaus turned to look at her.

"He does not deserve you," he said quietly.

"He couldn't handle me. I'm too stubborn to be a preacher's wife," Dawn said, squaring her shoulders, "and I'll be damned if I ever end up married to him."

_I just...mmmmm_

She'd been pacing, but tripped over a corner of the rug. Klaus caught her with impressive reflexes. He ended up holding her close to his chest.

_It starts in my toes_

_and I crinkle my nose_

_wherever it goes, I always know_

_you make me smile_

_please stay for a while now,_

_just take your time _

_wherever you go._

"Thanks. I'm a klutz sometimes," she complained, her cheeks heating.

Klaus did not let her go. Instead, he brushed a stray golden curl out of her reddened face.

"You have a great deal of spirit," he told her.

Dawn felt it coming and she wanted it so much that it ached. Her eyes closed as he kissed her, her heart thudding against his armor. She shivered at his feather-light touch over her cheek and neck. An explosion took place inside her, causing her insides to flame. She became dizzy.

_I've been asleep for a while now,_

_you tuck me in just like a child now_

_cause everytime you hold me in your arms_

_I'm comfortable enough to feel your warmth._

_I can't believe this,_ Klaus thought, _but here I am. This is real._ He felt so much joy and sadness all at the same time and it threatened to overwhelm his blurred thoughts. Dawn's arms tightened around him.

_It starts in my soul_

_and I lose all control_

_when you kiss my nose_

_the feeling shows_

_and you make me smile, baby_

_just take your time now_

_holding me tight..._

To their dismay, they heard a carriage coming.

"People have the worst timing," she complained when their lips parted. His hand was still on her cheek.

"I will be back," he assured her, "I must go get Daredevil now."

She watched him leave, feeling light-headed and tingly. She did not hear any startled screams, so she assumed he'd gotten away without being noticed. Ichabod and Katrina noticed her flushed face.

"Are you all right, Dawn? You're awfully flushed," Katrina commented.

"I'll be fine. I think it's just this weather," Dawn lied. Badly. She took off upstairs.

Ichabod and Katrina looked at each other and grinned.

"I know that look," Katrina said, "I looked at you that way. Dawn must be in love."

"With whom? The only boy she sees all the time is John," Ichabod commented, then, "Oh!"

Katrina nodded.

They didn't know how wrong they were.

_Wherever,_

_wherever,_

_wherever you go..._


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: No song lyrics in this chapter because so much is going on. As usual, I will take all the reviews I can get. Translations are at the bottom of the page.

Chapter 15

The clouds blew away somewhere around midnight and the crescent moon shone on the snow, turning it a glowing silver. A shadow stole across the snow, leaving only faint prints in the deep snow. The shadow seemed to float, rather than climb, up the tree and slid the window up without even the tiniest noise. It slid closed again.

Dawn was laying on her side facing the wall. Klaus ventured closer and watched the quilt rise and fall slightly with each breath. His hand, ungloved for a change, slid over Dawn's hair and brushed it away from her face. She stirred in her sleep and mumbled something, turning her face towards his hand.

_Her skin is so warm...like fire flowing through her instead of blood. _

Dawn rolled over and slowly opened her eyes.

"How'd you get in?" she mumbled.

"Very carefully," Klaus answered, "I told you I would return."

Dawn grinned sleepily. He knelt next to the bed on his knees so that he was level with her.

"I know."

He could hold out no longer and buried his lips in hers. A feeling welled up inside of him that was so massively big and powerful that his chest felt too tight and too small to contain it. His heart would have been thundering if it had been beating at all. He shook violently for a moment, the feeling spreading from his wild dark hair to his spurred boots. He felt Dawn's face flush under his hand and one of hers wrapped around the back of his head, holding him there.

When their lips parted, Klaus gazed into Dawn's dark eyes.

"Warum wähltest du mich?"1.

Dawn didn't speak German at all, and yet, she knew what to say. As if her mouth moved of its own accord, she answered him.

"Weil ich Sie liebe."2.

Hearing Dawn's voice in his own native tongue made him shiver slightly. He embraced her, listening as the breath slid in and out of her lungs.

"The others will cause trouble for us," he reminded her, "they saw us as we raced. We cannot deny it."

"Yeah, I know," Dawn responded, sitting up, "it won't be easy, but we'll make it work."

He sat beside her and wrapped his arms around her. Dawn rested her head against his shoulder.

"What about John?" Klaus asked.

"I don't even like John. He can take his attitude and shove it where the sun don't shine."

Klaus chuckled.

"Where's Daredevil?" Dawn asked.

"Visiting Flash."

Dawn smiled, imagining the two horses. She yawned. The most pleasant feeling of coziness filled her. She was warm, she was in Klaus's arms, and she was in a place that no one could get her.

Klaus noticed her sketchbook on the bedside table and gave Dawn a questioning look.

"Go on," she assured him. He picked it up and flipped through it. The book was filled with drawings, of faces he didn't recognize. Then, the strange faces, places, and objects gave way to things that he did recognize. There was one of Ichabod having fallen asleep with a book in his lap, Katrina as she tended to her herb garden, Masbeth as he groomed one of the horses, Anne as she danced in the snow, and Klaus's tree. Then, he came to the sketch she'd done the night she'd first seen him.

"What does that say?" he asked, pointing to the lyrics.

"They're words to a song I know that reminded me of you," Dawn admitted.

She sang the song to him. Klaus stared at the drawing. Most sketches of himself that he'd seen depicted him in a threatening stance, sword in one hand, axe in the other. This one didn't focus so much on the weapons as it did on his face and the light the moon made. It was a perfect likeness.

Dawn had stretched out on her stomach while he finished flipping through the pages. She looked exhausted. Very carefully, he drew the covers back over her so that she wouldn't get cold. The conversation grew sporadic and short. Finally, only silence answered him. Dawn was fast asleep.

"Gute Nacht, meine Liebe."

It would be a few hours until daybreak. Klaus weighed his situation carefully. Then, he stripped away the armor, the cape, and his spurred boots. Carefully, he stretched out beside Dawn. Improper, yes, but he didn't know how much longer he'd have with her.

Dawn rolled over and cuddled up against his chest. With the armor off, Klaus could feel the warmth from her skin a lot better. To him, she smelled like lavender, cinnamon, and clean linen. To her, Klaus smelled like the woods.

_This is a dream,_ he thought, _I will wake tomorrow and be in my own bed and Daredevil in his stable. She will not know I thought of her so much tonight, nor kissed her today. She will not know of how much I love her._

His eyes slid closed.

The cruel sun rose much too soon. Klaus slipped quietly from the room, kissing Dawn's forehead before he left. Daredevil made no complaints about having to leave; he knew it was for the best, but neither one of them liked having to leave any better.

Dawn was awoken a couple of hours later by a hysterical Ichabod and a worried Katrina.

"Dawn! What's happened? The whole town is talking about how they saw you racing with the Hessian!"

Uh-oh.

Dawn swallowed hard. Her cheeks flushed.

"So, it's true?"

She nodded, knowing she couldn't lie her way out of this.

"Tell me what's been going on!" he demanded.

"Ichabod," Katrina said, laying her hand gently on his arm, "why don't we let Dawn get dressed. We'll discuss it at breakfast."

She steered him out of the room and gave Dawn a warning look.

"Sh" Dawn cussed, "well, at least I had one day with everything being perfect."

She got her dress on and brushed her hair. Then, she went downstairs to face the music.

"It was just a race! We were just playing around, we weren't trying to scare anyone!" Dawn objected to Ichabod's darkening stare.

"He's a cold-blooded murderer! You shouldn't be trying to attract his attention! Someone could have easily gotten hurt!" Ichabod yelled, his voice getting higher-pitched.

Dawn's face flushed with anger.

"Look, I know you're worried about me, but you're not my mother, okay?! I'm twenty-one! I can take care of myself!"

Dawn slammed her spoon down on the table with a loud CLINK! and left. She wasn't sure where she was going, but it had to be anywhere but here. Katrina had a new dress that she was having made; maybe that was ready to be picked up. Dawn decided to check while she was out.

As she walked, people began to whisper. Dawn felt a sinking in her stomach.

"Hi," she said to Emily.

Emily jumped away from her.

"Get away from me, witch!"

Uh-oh.

Dawn felt tears well up in her eyes. She kept going and didn't try to stop Emily, who was now screaming her head off. She was staring at the sidewalk and slammed into someone.

"Hello, Dawn," he said, with a predatory gleam in his eyes, "have fun yesterday?"

Dawn's porridge rose in her throat.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"The whole town knows about it," John whispered, "your race with the Hessian. You behaved as though you were very good friends with him. Perhaps there's more to it than that?"

Oh...

"Weren't you supposed to be in Tarrytown yesterday?" Dawn asked evasively.

"Supposed to be, yes, but I thought I'd stay and see what happened," John said nonchalantly, "you see, Dawn, when God gives me a gift, I know. I see the gift, and I hold on for dear life. I could easily get you arrested for witchcraft."

Dawn's blood froze.

"If I were you, my dear, I would watch your step."

His face was so close to hers that she could smell his sour breath.

"Fine," Dawn mumbled, pushing past him.

The seamstress gave Dawn the dress, but she was hurried out of the shop just as some other customers came in. Once outside, she saw Ann with a sympathetic look.

"I'm sorry, Dawn."

Dawn didn't say a word.

"Why don't you come with me?"

Dawn followed her, tears welling up more. Once behind closed doors, they flowed freely.

"Ichabod's mad at me, Katrina's probably mad at me, John won't leave me alone, and Emily thinks I'm a witch! What am I going to do?" Dawn wailed.

"Klaus still loves you, right? That's all that matters," Ann reminded her, giving her a lace handkerchief to blow her nose in, "don't cry. It's going to be all right."

Dawn smiled through the tears.

"Thanks."

There was a knock at the door. Masbeth was there.

"I don't mean to interrupt, Miss," he said apologetically to Dawn, "but Ichabod sent me. He says he wants to speak with you."

Dawn sighed.

"Gotta go, but thanks for the tea," Dawn told Ann.

"Good luck," Ann said, watching her go.

Dawn got on the horse with Masbeth and away they went.

Ichabod was waiting for Dawn when she came in. Her dark eyes were a mixture of pain and fury.

She wasn't sure what she expected, but what he said definitely wasn't it.

"Talk to me."

Dawn swallowed hard.

"We're friends," she finally choked out, "we met in the woods. Then, I was coming back from Ann's house and some old guy was trying things he shouldn't. Klaus came along and killed him. If he hadn't, God only knows what he would have done to me. Then, he gave me a ride home."

Ichabod was surprised, but he quickly hid it.

"How long has this been?" he asked.

"Almost since I got here," Dawn admitted, "we've only seen each other a few times, but we've spent a lot of time together when we have. He's really nice, not like everybody says. He's changed. And we got to messing around in the snow yesterday because it made us feel like kids again. Ann was there, too. We got in a race, just goofing around and we weren't really watching where we were going."

Ichabod considered this for a moment. He was going pale at the mention of the Hessian.

"So, he has a name? What was it again?"

"Klaus."

Ichabod sat down quickly before he lost consciousness. Dawn rolled her eyes.

"You do seem happier these days," he commented.

"Yeah."

"I don't understand it, you've heard the stories, we've told you what happened, but you've obviously seen something in the Hessian that Katrina and I have missed," he mumbled.

"Nobody knows all the answers," Dawn told him, "give him a chance."

Something about Dawn's earnest tone struck a nerve. He found himself listening to her anyway despite the growing feeling of dread.

"I only wish I could stop the rumors in town," Ichabod said, "I'm afraid it's going to get worse before it gets better."

Dawn nodded, biting her lip.

"I don't want to quarrel with you, Dawn. You've brought back valuable knowledge from where you came, you see the good in everyone, and you're the only one besides Katrina that actually listens to me."

Dawn chuckled.

"Fine. Buddies?"

She held out her hand and he gave it a squeeze.

"Just promise me you won't try to be my Dad again," Dawn told him, "pretty soon, you'll have your own kid to boss around."

Ichabod laughed.

"So, how are wedding plans going?"

"Very well. We have plans to wed in the spring."

Dawn grinned.

"Nervous?"

"More than you'll ever know."

She laughed.

"It's going to be okay. One way or another, we're all gonna get through this."

1. "Why did you choose me?"

2. "Because I love you."

3. "Good night, my love."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Dawn didn't venture out of the house much as November finally ended and December began. She feverishly did sketches for everyone as Christmas presents because she didn't have much money. Masbeth helped her make the frames. She secretly hid an extra one away for him.

Despite the gloomy weather outside, Dawn's spirits were high in anticipation of the holiday. She even made a sketch for Dawn (while making a mental note of having someone else deliver it to him). Then, she wrapped the frames in colored paper and tied ribbons around them.

Katrina was measured for her wedding dress and Ichabod for his suit. Dawn helped them pick out colors (blue and white) and helped Katrina decide on flowers (white and yellow daisies) and the cut of her dress. It seemed as though there suddenly a million things to do. She helped Ann bake cookies to put in goodie baskets and they set aside all the extra cookies to give to the poor. She helped the kitchen maids prepare for Christmas Dinner and Ann was invited to eat with them. They all decorated a Christmas tree.

There was a knock on the door as she was standing precariously on a ladder with the star.

"Could someone please get that?" Dawn asked, carefully putting the star on. Grinning, she went to get off the ladder, but she lost her balance when she did. A pair of arms grabbed her just in time.

_Great. Just great._

"Thanks," Dawn mumbled, embarrassed.

"Anytime," John answered casually, putting her down, "I just came by to thank you for the drawing. It must have taken you a very long time."

"It did," Dawn said truthfully, smoothing her dress out, "I figured you'd be someplace else for Christmas, so I had Masbeth take it over to you early."

She tried to smile, but it came out crooked.

"That was kind of you, but I'm afraid I won't be going anywhere for the holidays," John sighed, "my aunt and uncle have changed their plans and will be going to a cousin's house instead. They simply insist they have no more room."

_I wonder why,_ Dawn thought sarcastically.

Ichabod and Katrina grinned at each other.

"Why don't you spend Christmas with us, John?"

Dawn resisted the strong urge to smack her forehead.

"I couldn't impose," he said casually.

Dawn had moved to stand behind him and was shaking her head vigorously.

"It's no trouble at all," Katrina said, "we have plenty of room."

This time, Dawn did smack her forehead.

"Is something wrong, Dawn?" Ichabod asked. She gave him a nervous smile.

"Oh, nothing. I just have a headache," she said innocently, "I think I'll go lay down."

John watched her retreating back.

"If she cares for me the way you say she does, she has a strange way of showing it," John commented.

"She'll be all right. She's been a bit under the weather lately," Katrina lied, "don't take it personally. Dawn gets a bit cranky when she's not feeling well."

Ichabod nodded in agreement, having witnessed it and been at the wrong end of it.

"All right then," John shrugged, "when shall I come?"

"Day after tomorrow would be best," Katrina said, "we've got so much to do tomorrow that we couldn't possibly spare enough time for visitors."

She knew Dawn was eavesdropping from the top of the stairs.

"I can't thank you enough," John said, "I haven't been able to spend much time with Dawn lately. She seems to be quite busy."

Dawn stifled a groan.

"Pity," Ichabod said innocently, though there was a note of sarcasm behind it.

"Well, I must be going," John said, "I've got plans for the poor this year."

Off he went.

Dawn sighed and closed the door to her room. Stupid John! She couldn't stand that little rat.

She grabbed her coat and slipped out the window after locking her door. No one would question her if they thought she was sleeping.

Moments later, she escaped to the Western Woods, breathing a big sigh of relief. She hadn't minded staying in the house before, but now she felt suffocated.

As soon as she reached Klaus's tree, the roots began to move aside to form a gateway, but no one came out. Curiously, Dawn ventured closer. Shrugging, she stepped forward. She slipped and went sliding head-first. It happened so fast that she didn't even cry out. She heard the roots close behind her and a familiar pair of arms caught her.

"Good catch," Dawn commented, still upside down. Klaus flipped her right-side up and put her down.

She looked around. She wasn't sure what she expected, but not a small underground house.

"You seem troubled," he commented. Daredevil stopped munching on his hay and wandered over to her. He lowered his head so that Dawn would scratch his ears. She did. It was strange to see Daredevil not having his tack on.

"Well, everything was perfect until I decided to be nice to John," Dawn complained, "and he comes over to thank me for the sketch I gave him as an early Christmas gift. Then, he whines about how he's got no place to go for Christmas and Ichabod invites him over. Then, Katrina tells him he can spend the night there day after tomorrow. I hate that little weasel!"

Daredevil moved his head so that Dawn's fingers were over the perfect spot. Klaus shook his head, smiling.

"You will spoil him," Klaus warned her. Daredevil made a huffing sound at his master and Dawn giggled.

"No more than you have," Dawn countered.

_I will let her scratch as long as she feels like it,_ Daredevil told Klaus.

"Anyway, I just wish John would get a life. I don't blame him for wanting company on Christmas, but he bugs me."

"I do not like him either," Klaus admitted, "I could feel your anger."

"That bad, huh?" she asked.

"That bad."

He pulled her into an embrace. Daredevil made a noise similar to a sigh and wandered off.

_Where's Flash?_

"He wants to know where Flash is," Klaus relayed.

"I didn't bring her. I was trying to make a quiet escape."

Daredevil huffed. Klaus grinned.

Dawn rested her head against Klaus's shoulder. He rubbed her back gently, drinking deep of the feeling of her warm arms around him.

"Do not worry about John," Klaus whispered, "he cannot love you the way I do."

Tears welled up in Dawn's eyes, but they were tears of joy. He didn't see them as she blinked them back. The blast of powerful emotion, however, one that was completely alien to him, nearly overwhelmed him. When she looked up at him, there was so much in her dark eyes that he couldn't read it all.

For the first time, they kissed without being concerned that someone would walk in on them. A shiver ran down Dawn's spine and spread to the rest of her. A strange tingle spread over Klaus's body as though he'd been struck by lightning. The kiss lost its innocence and became quite heated. Both were breathing a little hard when they separated.

"I should probably get back," Dawn lamented, "they'll know I went somewhere if I stay gone too long."

"Shall I come tonight?" Klaus asked.

Dawn nodded, her cheeks still burning from the kiss. Klaus waved a hand and the gateway opened again. Before she had a chance to say anything else, she was sucked through the gate like a bit of ice through a straw.

After the warmth of Klaus's home, the world outside seemed freezing. Dawn hurried home. She managed to slip back into the house without detection. For the sake of having told the truth, Dawn really did take a nap. When she finally woke up, it was time for dinner. She ate without saying much and went straight back upstairs.

"She's so shy," Katrina commented, "when it comes to John."

"That's why I invited him," Ichabod answered, "maybe if they actually spend some time together, she won't be."

The hours ticked by. Dark couldn't come fast enough. Dawn stretched out on her bed and put her headphones on. Gradually, she let herself be carried away by the music. Her thoughts drifted to the future and to the life she'd left behind. She looked at her schoolbooks and wondered if her knowledge would even be that useful here.

Her eyes slid closed and she almost went in a trance. When she rolled over, the phones slid out and she was fast asleep as the iPod clattered to the floor. She didn't wake up until she heard the window slide open. She sat up, rubbing her eyes as Klaus came in.

His kisses weren't as careful tonight. In fact, they were quite heated. There was an odd twisting in Dawn's insides and Klaus's touch seemed to be lighting fires wherever his hands touched her back, shoulders, and arms.

They jerked apart when there was a knock on the door. Dawn's face went from flushed to pale with panic. Klaus dropped to the floor and rolled underneath the bed. Dawn made sure he was hidden and opened the door.

It was Ann. Her face was streaked with tears.

"Ann, what happened?" Dawn asked.

"My house burned down," she said, trying to wipe some of the ash from her face, "Katrina gave me the room across the hall. I hoped you'd be here."

Dawn hugged her. She pulled Ann inside and closed the door. Klaus emerged from under the bed.

Ann's tears faded and she grinned upon seeing Klaus.

"For shame, Dawn!"

Dawn flushed again. Klaus grinned.

"Nice to see you two together again," Ann said, "but I'm afraid I have some bad news for both of you."

The three of them sat on the bed, Klaus in the middle of the two women.

"I overheard John talking to Richard. He's going to do anything he can to prove that you're a witch and that you've sold your soul to the devil in exchange for Klaus," she said, "the whole town saw the race. Jane and Emily won't speak to me anymore and they despise Dawn. I think he's even trying to figure out how to frame Ichabod and Katrina so that he can take over the town."

"He's nuts! Why can't he just leave me ALONE!" Dawn snapped.

"He says if he gets enough evidence, he'll try to force you to marry him or you'll face execution," Ann said, "I wouldn't be surprised if he was the one to set my house on fire. And if anything happens to him, they'll think it was either you or Klaus."

Dawn hoped it wouldn't come to that. She gave Ann a cup of hot tea and sat with her until she went to sleep. Then, she returned to Klaus.

"We won't let them come between us, will we?" she asked.

Klaus did not have an easy answer, so he gave her the one she wanted to hear.

"No."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Dawn didn't say a word as Masbeth hauled John's suitcases into the house. She pretended not to hear his sexist comments on how women shouldn't be doing chores around the house. She also ignored his sickening-sweet compliments and dismissed them with a fake "thank you" and went on about her business. She was very careful to stow her sketchbook under a loose floorboard in her room that was under the bed and did not talk about Klaus at all.

By Christmas Eve evening, things had gone from bad to worse. John was following Dawn everywhere except into the latrine (and he probably would have followed her there too if she hadn't closed the door in his face). Ann was feeling more and more distraught and crying all the time, and the kitchen maid had gotten some sort of stomach illness that left her vomiting almost all night. Ichabod was looking a little queasy by ten and Katrina was dealing with some disaster with the wedding plans. The house was in an uproar.

Dawn sighed, rolled the sleeves up on her dress, escorted the nauseated maid out of the kitchen, and closed the door. She tried to think of her mother's recipe for homemade noodles. Two hours and three experimental batches later, she believed she'd gotten it right. Then, she mixed up some homemade tomato sauce with mushrooms, onions, and bell peppers from the cellar. She found a handy little grinding thing in one of the cabinets and made her own version of hamburger from a small slab of raw beef. It took her forever to figure out, but she did. She put all of these in a box packed with ice and left the homemade noodles in a covered bowl. Then, she went in search of other ingredients.

She worked feverishly into the night, chopping vegetables, boiling, stirring, spicing, baking, and toiling. John snuck into the kitchen at one point. He looked curiously at the ingredients spread on the counter and at Dawn, who was stirring something over the fire.

"What are you doing in the kitchen so late at night?" John asked.

"I'm making Christmas dinner because Katrina's got a crapload of guests coming tomorrow and they won't have anything to eat because the kitchen maid's sick," she said, feverishly grating a slab of cheese, "and I don't do turkey or dressing or any of that kind of stuff, so I'm making something I know how to make."

John looked at her strangely. Dawn dipped a spoon into the newly made sauce and popped it into his mouth before he had a chance to protest. At first, she thought he would let loose a cry of disgust. Instead, he smiled.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Tomato sauce. It's going in the lasagna."

"Lasagna?" John repeated, puzzled.

"It's a really popular dish in my country," Dawn half-explained, "people eat it all the time. It's made of pasta and-"

"What is pasta?"

Dawn sighed again. She held up one of her homemade noodles.

"This is. It's made of the same stuff bread is, but it has a different texture."

She rifled around in the cupboards, clanging, banging, and making all sorts of noise until she finally found what she was looking for. As she was about to declare victory, Dawn raised up too soon and banged her head on the door.

"Sh!" Dawn cursed, making John say a hasty prayer. She gave him a dirty look and coated the pan with butter.

He watched as she put the layers together, carefully as could be. There was enough to make three large panfuls. He winced as she grabbed a knife and started chopping up vegetables. Then, she took the four pies she'd made out of the oven. Exhausted, she flopped onto a chair.

"God, I'm tired," she moaned, "I couldn't be a caterer if my life depended on it."

"Is there something I could do to help?"

Dawn's head snapped up. For once, he was truly being serious.

"I could use a drink," she gasped, fanning herself with a towel.

He retrieved a glass of water for her. She drank it without stopping for air.

"You really care about Ichabod and Katrina, don't you?" John asked.

"Yes."

He moved closer to her, but not so close that she could smack him.

"How did you know my name when we met, anyway?" she asked, suddenly remembering.

"I heard Ann talking to you before I made my presence known. I also asked who you were."

"Why do you keep coming after me? You're a nice guy and everything" (Dawn couldn't believe she was saying that), "but you're just not my type. I'm not ready to be married."

John stared at the floor.

"But I am," he protested, "every woman in Sleepy Hollow has turned me down. God did not make people to walk alone in this life."

"If you think you can't survive without someone, then you're not ready," Dawn countered, "I don't even think you know yourself as well as you think you do. You seem really insecure for a preacher."

Anger flared in John's eyes, but he contained it.

"If you weren't so pushy, things might work out for you," Dawn told him, "I'm sure it would. You have the passion, the looks, the ambition. Now, you just need a gentler touch."

He watched her slowly get up and check the food. Satisfied that it wasn't done yet, she sat down again.

"Please, Dawn," John begged, "let me kiss you one time. Just once, so that I would know what it feels like."

"Will you let me alone after this?" Dawn asked.

"Yes."

"Promise?" Dawn asked.

He held up his Bible and placed his hand on it.

"I swear on this Holy Book," he told her.

"Fine. Just one. Then, you have to keep out of my personal space and stop spreading rumors about me, got it?"

He nodded.

John leaned forward and kissed her. His mouth was rough and inexperienced, savage and impatient. Dawn cringed inwardly and hoped Klaus wasn't watching.

Right in the middle of things, the door opened and Ichabod came in. He stopped suddenly and Katrina plowed right into him from the back.

"I do apologize," he stammered awkwardly, "was I interrupting something?"

Dawn gratefully pulled away.

"Nope."

Katrina sniffed the air.

"Something smells wonderful," she commented.

"What have you been doing in here all this time?" Ichabod asked.

"Cooking," Dawn replied, "but you'll have to wait until everyone else shows up to see what it is. Do yourself a favor and go get some rest."

They both did. John, however, stayed in the kitchen with Dawn.

"I shall never forget your tender lips," he gushed.

"I'm flattered," Dawn said flatly. She felt sort of sorry for John, but not sorry enough to begin pitying him right here and now.

Sunrise came. Dawn was pale in the face with rings under her eyes, but she didn't say a word. She put all the dishes on the table. By now, the kitchen maid had recovered enough that she could serve the food. Katrina's crisis was over and Ichabod was feeling better as well. Dawn went upstairs.

"I'll just rest my eyes for a minute," she mumbled, ignoring the fact that her stained dress was coming in contact with the clean quilt. Before long, she was fast asleep and snoring up a storm. John and Ann laughed and closed the door. Maybe it was because she'd fallen asleep on her back; Dawn wasn't a back-sleeper most of the time. On her back, she was fairly loud. Eventually, Dawn rolled over and the room was quiet again.

Christmas dinner was a great success. The guests spoke well of Dawn's lasagna, garden salad, garlic bread, and apple pies. Dawn, however, was still fast asleep.

She slept through dessert and she slept through the games. She slept through the carols. It wasn't until dark that she finally woke. John was snoring audibly from his room down the hall. Ann used a skeleton key to lock her own door from the outside, then came into Dawn's.

"I'll keep watch. Go!" she whispered. Dawn quickly changed her dress into the baby-blue one she'd had earlier. It was much too cold for it, but it was better than showing up splattered in tomato sauce. Dawn shivered as she slid down the tree, the small wrapped package under her arm.

The tree opened its roots for her and, remembering last time, she slid in feet first this time. She fell on her butt, but didn't care.

Klaus wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"Where did he go?" she wondered aloud. Daredevil was in his makeshift stable. He grunted softly and Dawn petted him.

"Hey, buddy, I got a Christmas present for you," she whispered, reaching into her coat pocket. She withdrew a bright red apple. Daredevil pricked his ears forward; he never got apples. It had been so long since he'd eaten one, he'd forgotten what they tasted like. He eagerly snatched it from Dawn's hand and happily crunched away.

"I gotta go find Klaus now," she whispered. Daredevil let her go and made no more noise.

She searched the other rooms. One of them had a large pile of armor in it. She closed that door, wondering what he needed it for. The next room was empty. Eventually, she opened the third door that revealed a large bed with blood-red velvet coverings trimmed with gold. She smiled, seeing Klaus laying on his side. He had taken off his armor, cape, and the black coat underneath. His whole upper body was exposed, revealing broad shoulders, muscular arms (lean muscle, not bulk), and a shapely back. Dawn resisted the temptation to run a hand down it. Instead, she carefully pulled the covers up to his neck. The movement woke Klaus.

"How did you get in?" he asked, his speech still slightly slurred from sleep.

"I guess you could say I dropped in to see you," Dawn joked, "I meant to come out here earlier, but I fell asleep."

Klaus sat up, stretching.

"Why were you kissing John?" he asked, an edge of hardness in his voice.

"Because he promised he'd leave me alone if I did," Dawn said truthfully.

Klaus placed a hand on her forehead. Suddenly, she had a flashback as though she had relived it over again. When Klaus's hand dropped, she was back in the present.

"What did you just do?" Dawn asked.

"I read your memory," Klaus answered, "and I believe you."

She gave him the package she'd been carrying. He stripped away the paper to reveal a framed sketch of both of them together. Very carefully, he hung it on the wall above his bed.

"This way, I will see it every day," he said affectionately. He pulled Dawn in for an embrace and a kiss.

"I have something for you, too," Klaus said, sliding his hand under his pillow, "close your eyes."

Dawn did. He opened his hand and something gold glinted in the light. She felt a pressure on her wrist.

"You can look now."

She held up her hand in the firelight. It was a charm bracelet that had tiny chain links in it. Dangling from one of the links was a tiny key and from the other, a heart-shaped lock.

She hugged him tightly.

"I can't stay long," Dawn told him, "I need to get home or John's going to know I'm gone."

"Wait," Klaus said, stepping in front of her before she could go through the gate. Dawn looked at him curiously.

"If you ever get in trouble, place the key into the lock and turn it. I will come wherever you are."

Dawn's smile widened.

"That's so sweet!" she exclaimed, "Thank you!"

One last kiss and Dawn left. The gate tossed her onto the snow. She brushed it off and ran all the way back to the manor. Just as she got on the last branch, Ann grabbed her wrists and yanked her through the window.

"Thank God! John's been asking where you were. I told him you were using the latrine, but he almost went out there and checked!"

Dawn's heart pounded.

"So?" Ann asked, closing the window.

Dawn held up her wrist and showed Ann the bracelet.

"That's beautiful! I wonder where he found it," she commented.

"I don't care. He says I can call him by putting the key in the lock and turning it," Dawn whispered.

"I'm sure it will work," Ann said, "if he told you it would. Now, let's go finish off the leftovers. I know you haven't eaten yet."

Dawn followed her.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: The reason this story is rated T is because of this chapter. If that bothers you, you might want to skip to the next one because there is a love scene here. It's not too bad though; I didn't write anything really explicit.

A/N: The song at the end of this chapter is called "To Be Loved By You" by Wynona Judd. As usual, the translations are at the bottom. Reviews are welcome and so is constructive criticism.

Chapter 18…………………To be loved by you.

December, January, and February passed quickly. Spring came to Sleepy Hollow and the farmers began to work in their fields. The winter clothes were put away and all the windows to the Van Tassel manor were thrown open to let the fresh air in. Flash would not have her foal for some time yet, but her stomach began to swell. Dawn would rub it affectionately when she decided to take Flash anywhere. She began to feed Flash a little more to accommodate the growing baby inside her.

Thus far, John had relented in bothering her. She and John began to be on better terms although they did not talk much. Dawn helped Ann with her garden, then she helped John with his. At the end of the day, she was streaked with sweat and dirt and her body ached all over. She was so sore the first week that she could hardly sleep. Eventually, her body got used to the work and she didn't hurt so much.

And, of course, she and Klaus visited each other frequently.

Now that the nights were warmer, she and Klaus stayed out longer. The two of them lay side by side in the grass in the clearing.

"Look! That one looks like Daredevil!" Dawn said, pointing at a star formation resembling a large horse.

"This one looks like Ann's house," Klaus said, pointing at another one.

He stared up at the sky. It was so big... big enough that it seemed to go on forever. How many times had he been under these stars and never noticed them?

He wondered what the sky was like in Germany. He wondered if his own parents were still alive. It had been such a long time ago...

"What's on your mind?" Dawn asked.

He turned his head to look at her.

"You just got really pensive-looking and I know you're really seriously thinking about something when you get that expression."

Klaus laughed. She could read him like a book.

"I was thinking I would like to go home," Klaus said, "even if only for a visit. I want to see if my parents are still living. Maybe to visit Hanne's grave, also."

"Who's Hanne?"

An expression of pain flickered across Klaus's face, but he quickly concealed it.

"It will be easier for me to show you," he said, turning on his side. He placed his hand on Dawn's forehead and her eyes closed, her breath becoming slow and deep as in sleep. He knew she wasn't sleeping, however.

The forest around her and Klaus vanished. Instead, she found herself in a very beautiful house. However, her body moved of it's own accord. Upon moving closer to a mirror, she saw not herself, but Klaus. He was younger, happier, and more innocent.

_I'm seeing it through Klaus's eyes,_ she thought, surprised, _ he must really trust me to show me everything._

Klaus's presence was in her mind, too. She couldn't hear his thoughts, but she could feel his emotions.

He ran a comb through his hair and gathered up his schoolbooks.

It was different seeing the world from Klaus's point of view. First, she felt Klaus's boredom at having to go to school. Then, he saw a red-haired girl on the sidewalk. A sense of awe filled him as he watched her.

When he struggled to figure out what to say, Dawn was smiling inwardly. Although she had the feeling of smiling, Klaus's face did not reflect what she felt. She was merely a spirit.

She felt his joy, his contentment, his nerves about the future. She felt his inner conflict when his village heard of the war and was searching for able-bodied soldiers because he wanted to fight, but he also wanted to stay with Hanne. She felt his fear for Hanne's life when he found her, raped and stabbed. She felt the overwhelming sense of loss and grief as he realized she was dying. Then, she felt his crushing devastation as he watched them carry her body out of the house. She felt his numbness at her funeral.

1."Auf Wiedersehen, meine Liebe. Ich werde Sie vermissen," he whispered as he knelt next to the freshly dug grave. Everyone else had gone home. With a trembling hand, he lay two roses on the grave; one white and one red. A solitary tear dripped down his cheek, starting warm but growing cold as it fell. It landed with a soft _pftt _in the dirt.

He walked away slowly, head bent. People were whispering, pointing to him. His gaze hardened when he looked up at them. Anger began to replace sadness. Fury replaced anger and rage replaced fury. Klaus signed up for the war and didn't say much as the doctors examined him for any potential health problems. Finding none, they gave him a ticket to America.

Klaus was nervous during his first bout of serious fighting. Deep inside, he wondered if he could really stand to hurt anyone on purpose. The moment came when a soldier came straight for him. With an effortless hack, he decapitated him. Klaus watched in a dreamlike trance as the blood began to spray. He watched the lifeless body fall to the ground. Then, he grinned. There was some sort of a macabre joy in watching that man fall. It felt strangely good.

It felt so good that he couldn't stop. It gave him such a high that it was like drugs or alcohol only much more dangerous. He listened to his sword sing through the air, a deadly kind of music. There were several nights of stale bread and bad beer. There were women whose husbands had died in the war and couldn't get money, so they'd slept with the soldiers. Klaus would sleep with them trying to fill the insatiable emptiness he felt, but his satisfaction was very short lived. He would drop some coins into their hands and they'd scurry away, grateful. He'd watch them leave and feel sick to his stomach, but the furious rage would fill him up again. He was either on the battlefield being ecstatic or he was in a constant state of apathy. The alcohol ran freely in most places and Dawn felt ill as she endured the sting of it going down Klaus's throat. The next day, his head would be pounding and his temper would be even worse, but he kept going. Then came that fateful day in the forest.

She felt his death, felt his rising again due to Lady Van Tassel. She felt his anger at being used, which he took out on his victims. She felt his sense of victory when Ichabod gave him his head back and his loneliness after that, which he constantly denied to himself.

Suddenly, Dawn was pulled back into reality. Klaus was staring into her eyes, waiting for some form of condemnation.

"I don't blame you," Dawn said, her hand caressing his cheek, "I really don't."

His expression did not change, but as his hand moved to cover hers, she felt him shaking.

"But-"

She cut him off with a finger over his lips.

"It's okay," she told him, "it's okay."

He rested his head against her chest. Her heartbeat was the most reassuring sound in the world to him right now. One hand stroked his wild dark hair, the other gently rubbed his back.

"That's a lot for any one person to go through," Dawn said, "if you don't know how to handle it, it eats you alive. Not very many people I know of could stand losing someone they loved that much."

"I cannot stand the thought of losing you," Klaus answered.

His hand ran down her side, causing her to shiver. A heat rose in Klaus's middle and began to spread, but he dared not move. Dawn's heartbeat sped up and the hand that was touching his face suddenly felt hot. He cautiously turned his head to look up at her and received a heated kiss.

"Dawn," he whispered huskily. Flames showed in her dark eyes and her flushed lips. She pulled him closer to her.

He was going to ask her if she was sure about this, but she didn't give him a chance. Her intentions were quite clear when her legs wrapped around his hips.

Klaus unfastened his cloak and spread it on the ground. Very carefully, he lay her down on it.

_Oh, wow, this is not how I pictured it,_ Dawn thought, _but it's wonderful._

The moon was directly behind Klaus, making him appear to glow. It turned his pale skin silvery and reminded her now, more than ever, that he was immortal. The most wonderful feelings she'd only daydreamed about surged forward, casting her brain into a fog. Her body felt as though it had been struck by lightning and Klaus's hands lit fires wherever they touched. As he filled her, the part of her soul that seemed to be missing slowly slid into place.

Klaus watched Dawn, grinning like a schoolboy. Her hair fanned out in soft, sensuous curls around her head. The light from the moon caught the waves and reflected in soft silver highlights. She was heavier than some women, but he never cared for tiny women anyway. They looked too much like little girls. Dawn, however, was very curvy and soft, although she'd grown stronger from her work in the fields.

_I do not deserve her_, Klaus thought, _but I am so glad she loves me._

That was his last coherent thought.

Moments later, reality slowly returned to them. They lay entwined under the stars, hidden by the trees. Klaus had never felt so vulnerable in his life, but he didn't mind. For the first time, he felt warmed on the inside. He rolled so that he was laying on his side beside her. He waited until she'd caught her breath.

"Sing for me, Dawn," he demanded, needing to hear her voice.

Dawn did. Her voice was thick with emotion and husky, but it was wonderful to him.

"Love, that's worth fighting for,

and that's what this is.

And how, how could I want more

than the warmth of your kiss?

No matter how many miles and dreams

come between us now,

In each step I take,

with each prayer I make,

this love will live somehow..."

Her voice rose, strong and clear alto into the night, ringing through the trees and echoing slightly.

"Let the mountains rise,

I will climb them all

when my body's weak,

I will not fall

Baby, come on baby,

I'll find a way to get through.

There's nothing that I won't do

To be loved by you..."

Translation:

1. "Goodbye, my love. I will miss you."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Klaus was in a better mood than Daredevil had ever seen him. It was a cloudy day. Dawn had gone with Katrina and Ichabod to help with some wedding stuff. He lay stretched out in the grass by the lake. Daredevil was happily munching on some wild herbs as Klaus stared at the water.

_She's very good for you. I've never seen you so happy._

"I have never felt this good."

Klaus's nose was almost touching the water. He stared at his own reflection. For the first time, he didn't see a monster. He saw what he really was: a man in love.

"I only wish we did not have to hide it," Klaus said. He lowered his head until his lips touched the water. Then, he drew in a mouthful. The water was cool and felt good going down.

_If you don't want to hide it, then don't._

"It does not bother me because we are immortal, but Dawn could be killed," Klaus said warily.

Daredevil raised his head, crunching a mouthful of wildflowers that were blooming. It was comical to see his tough-looking stallion with flowers in his mouth.

_Humans don't make any sense! If you want to be mates, why don't you just do it? I haven't tried to hide it with Flash._

"I wish it were that simple," Klaus told him, "they will accuse her of witchcraft and hang her. If I knew I was responsible for something like that, I couldn't stand it."

Daredevil got another mouthful of flowers.

_I hope the two of you find a solution soon. You can't keep sneaking into the manor and she can't keep sneaking out to come to the tree. And I'm tired of worrying about us being caught or risking Dawn getting caught. I want to live in a nice, open pasture where I can run with Flash when you aren't riding me. I want to live in a stable where I can look out the door and see the stars at night. I want to run with no tack on! And I know you want to spend time with Dawn during the day and hold her whenever you want to._

For being a horse, Daredevil was incredibly smart.

"If I could leave Sleepy Hollow, we could," Klaus said, "but I'm trapped. I cannot go very far."

_Why don't you ask the witch, Katrina, for help? She knows white magic, surely she can do something for you._

Klaus looked up at his horse.

"I didn't think of that," he admitted, "but how will I talk to her?"

_Tell Dawn to ask her._

"I will."

_Don't worry, it will work out. _

Daredevil had walked back over to Klaus. He nudged him affectionately with his nose. Klaus reached up and gave him a scratch behind the ears.

_A little to the left. Yeah, right there._

"I could not ask for a better friend."

Another two months went by. Dawn had asked Katrina if she could help them. Katrina was genuinely surprised to find out that Klaus was her lover and not John.

"Let me see," Katrina said, flipping through the pages of one of her books, "I could make him mortal, but we would need his consent. He would also need lightning to hit him to get his heart started again. It's a very complicated spell and it has to be done just right or there could be dire consequences. It also has to be done during an eclipse."

"What kind?" Dawn asked.

"Either one, but solar eclipses tend to be more powerful than lunar eclipses. There's a better chance of success."

Dawn nodded.

"You look a bit pale," she commented, "are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Dawn lied, "just been feeling a little under the weather."

"I do hope you're well in time for the wedding," Katrina commented, "I couldn't have done it without you."

"Thanks."

Dawn went into the woods with a book and a basket. Ann went with her.

"She says she can make Klaus mortal sometime this summer if I get all the right stuff for it. If we can get him different clothes and do something with his hair, people might not recognize him."

"Are you okay? You look kind of pale," Ann commented. Right on cue, Dawn doubled over and got sick.

"Yeah, I just feel kind of-"

Ann stared at her suspiciously.

"Did you by any chance..." she trailed off. Dawn blushed guiltily.

"We should go to the doctor," Ann said, taking the book from her hands and closing it.

Dawn sighed.

"Yeah, okay. I can do this later."

She and Ann left the basket and the book at Ann's house, then they walked across town. A little while later after the doctor had probed her abdomen, asked her about her symptoms, and flipped through a book, he grinned.

"Well, Miss Dawn, it appears that you are with child."

There was a FWUMP! as Dawn lost consciousness. He retrieved a vial of smelling salts and waved it under her nose.

"How far along," she asked woozily.

"I would say about three months."

Dawn stared down at her belly.

"Goodness," she commented, "just when I thought things couldn't get any crazier. Great...now, I just have to tell Katrina and Ichabod. Katrina probably already knows, but Ichabod will kill me."

She was talking to Ann while the doctor had gone off to find something.

"Here," he said, "take this."

It was a book about babies that went from conception to three years old. Dawn accepted it gratefully.

"Thanks," she said, hurrying out the door.

"How are you going to tell Klaus?" Ann asked.

"Good question," she answered, "I'm a little nervous about it. I don't know how he's going to react to this."

"He should be honored that you're carrying his child."

Dawn placed a hand lightly over a bump that wasn't showing yet. The doctor came back.

"You should expect to gain anywhere from twenty to thirty pounds over the next nine months," he said, "so you need to try and eat well, get plenty of sleep, and don't do anything dangerous or lift anything too heavy. If you have any concerns, come straight to me. The rest should be in that book. Any questions?"

"You will keep this a secret unless something really bad happens to me, won't you?"

The doctor nodded.

"Okay, then. Thank you."

Dawn gave him some money and they headed out.

"Wow, three months. That means the sickness in the morning should stop soon," Ann commented.

"I'll be so grateful," Dawn said, "I hate not being able to eat breakfast. Those blueberry muffins that the maid did yesterday smelled so good!"

"Why don't we go tell Klaus now?" Ann asked.

Dawn shrugged.

"Yeah. He'll be mad if I wait too long."

They forgot all about gathering the herbs for now. The closer they got to the forest, the more excited and nervous Dawn was. Wait, was that the baby moving? Nope. Just butterflies. Really big butterflies. Dawn took the tiny key into her bracelet, clicked it into the lock, and turned.

Klaus was waiting for both of them when they reached the tree. His expression was one of curiosity and puzzlement.

"What's wrong? You look very pale," Klaus commented, running a hand along her colorless cheeks.

"That's what everybody else said," Dawn commented, "I just came from the doctor's. You might want to sit down for this."

Now, Klaus just looked worried. He eased himself onto the bench-like root where they'd had their first conversation together. Ann was bouncing up and down like a little girl and was nearly bursting with anticipation.

"Well?" he asked.

"Turns out, there's nothing wrong with me."

Relief replaced worry.

"But...things are really going to change soon."

Curiosity again.

Dawn came closer to him and wrapped both arms around him, pressing his head against her stomach. He heard a tiny gurgling noise.

"Klaus, I'm going to have a baby." There, she said it. He pulled backwards as though he'd been struck, but a smile was slowly coming.

"Really?"

"Yep. Doctor says I'm three months in. Remember that?"

Dawn flushed as she said that. Ann giggled and Klaus was grinning like a schoolboy.

"How could I forget?"

A hand came to rest on Dawn's belly.

"It is mine, correct?"

"All yours," Dawn confirmed.

"I can't wait."

He embraced her again.

Dawn showed him the book, which had illustration for each month of what the fetus looked like. She flipped to the three months page.

"It doesn't look much like a baby yet, but it'll get there. Here's where its head is, it's body, where its arms will grow, and where its legs will be. Too bad Sleepy Hollow doesn't have the stuff we had in the future," Dawn said, "at four months, they could tell you the gender of the baby and how healthy it would be. They can show you a moving picture called an ultrasound where you can watch the baby move. It doesn't exist yet, but I'm sure everything's fine. I also have a strong feeling it's a boy because I've been sick so much."

"How does that make a difference?" Klaus wondered, staring at the picture.

"Because all of the women in my family didn't have morning sickness with girls, only boys because their hormones change, stuff your body makes that tells it whether it's a boy or a girl. With a boy, the boy baby makes different hormones and that causes the sickness. It should be going away quick."

They spent some time looking through the book. By the time they finished looking at most of the pictures, it was late afternoon.

"Holy crap! I gotta get home! Ichabod and Katrina's wedding is tomorrow!" Dawn yelped in surprise.

Klaus laughed.

"I will be watching from the woods," he told her, "and I hope Ichabod does not faint on his way to the altar."

"You and me both," Dawn said, "I'm the maid of honor. I have to hold the flowers."

Klaus hugged her gently.

"I hope you feel better soon," he told her, "I did not mean to make you sick."

Dawn shook her head.

"Not your fault. It just happens."

Her stomach growled.

"Oh good, my appetite's back. Maybe the kitchen maid left something out. Anyway, see you tomorrow if I possibly can. Katrina and Ichabod will be gone for a week or so and I'll have the manor to myself. You know what that means..."

Klaus grinned.

"Yeah," Ann jumped in, "you can stay with us for a week."

A whole week with Ann and Dawn in a big house...getting to eat again and eating with them...Daredevil getting to spend time with Flash...he could see no catch in sight.

"I can't wait."

Dawn snapped her fingers.

"Oh, I almost forgot," she said, glad she hadn't, "Katrina found a spell that would make you mortal again. She says it's kind of dangerous, but if we do it right, you'll be alive again."

She gazed into his icy blue eyes with her warm dark ones.

"We could get married," Klaus commented.

He realized he hadn't ever thought of it. He'd just assumed that this would never work. And yet, here was his chance. He jumped when he felt hot breath on the back of his neck.

_Go for it!_ Daredevil hissed.

"You will marry me, won't you?" Klaus asked, sounding as timid as a child.

"Of course."

He breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"I will do it."

Dawn's smile lit up her face.

"Katrina's going to help us and everything's going to be all right," she breathed.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Dawn took a bath in a large tub in the kitchen and scrubbed all over. Her bridesmaid's dress was laying on the back of a chair in her room. She pulled her nightgown over her head, said goodnight to everyone, and went upstairs. The next morning, she hid some smelling salts in her sash just in case Ichabod had one of his episodes. One of the maids helped her with her hair and covered her with jewelry (which Dawn wasn't that thrilled about- she felt strange wearing diamonds). All the bridesmaid's dresses were a soft sky blue with white trimming.

She hungrily ate her breakfast (it was nice to not be sick for a change) and finished getting ready. Then, they went outside. The wedding was to be held in a garden in back of the Van Tassel manor. To no one's surprise, John showed up in his best robes and carried his weather-beaten Bible with him.

"You look lovely," John commented at Dawn, who was standing by an old fountain that Ichabod had recently fixed. She watched the water bubble and fall in gentle waves.

"Thanks," she said.

John moved so that he was getting a better look.

"I mean it," he commented, "you almost seem to be glowing."

Dawn's cheeks flushed. She looked at the place in the trees where she knew Klaus was. When John got distracted by someone else for a moment, Dawn waved. A gloved hand showed itself from behind one of the trees and she grinned.

John turned back around.

"You have the look of one who has a secret," he whispered, mouth dangerously close to her ear, "care to tell me?"

"Just thinking about how happy Ichabod and Katrina will be together," Dawn said, half-truthing, "they've been wanting to do this for so long," then, grabbing John's wrist, "oh, crud! We're going to be late! Come on!"

The guests were all sitting down in the borrowed chairs. The sky was cloudy, but an occasional ray of sunlight broke through and blue patches showed here and there that matched Dawn's dress.

As far as Dawn could see, nothing bad happened. Ichabod did go pale during his vows, but he didn't faint. That was a pleasant surprise. As John "sealed the deal", a ray of sunshine came down and shone on the newlywed couple. Dawn felt a sense of ecstasy as they kissed. Katrina herself looked like one of the lofty white clouds above with her lacy white dress and matching veil.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Mr. and Mrs. Ichabod Crane!"

There was an uproar of applause and a shower of rice as they ran through the crowd. Then, everyone headed towards the inside of the manor where the reception was being held. Ann offered to distract John after the cake was cut. Dawn wrapped a piece in a cloth napkin and sprinted towards the woods where Klaus was waiting.

"Look! I got you a piece of cake," Dawn panted, depositing her prize into his hands. It had been so long since Klaus had eaten anything so sweet that it was almost too rich. He broke the piece in half and they shared it.

"They will be very happy together," he observed, watching the party below.

"Yeah. So will we," Dawn said, plucking one of the flowers out of her bouquet. She tucked it into the headpiece of Daredevil's bridle. He didn't object in the slightest.

"I need to get back down there," she said reluctantly. Klaus kissed her, still tasting cake frosting on her breath.

"You look beautiful," he told her. Sky blue was definitely Dawn's color.

"Thanks."

Dawn took off.

The party went on for a long time. There was music and Dawn got back just in time for Ichabod and Katrina's first dance. She had never seen Ichabod smile so much. Katrina had nestled her head against his shoulder and it couldn't be clearer that they loved each other. When the others joined in, John stepped towards Dawn and gave her an inquiring look. Dawn was in a very good mood, so she shrugged.

"Eh, why not?"

Despite John's lack of grace with words, he was an unusually good dancer. Another boy, dark-haired with green eyes, cut in. Dawn danced with several of the village boys before she got tired and thirsty. Someone had made pink lemonade and Dawn gladly pounced on a glass of it.

Soon, there was the send-off. Someone had decorated a carriage for them with a sign that said "Just Married" on the back. Before getting in, Katrina flipped the bouquet over her shoulder. Dawn wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention and only caught it because it nearly hit her in the face.

"Oh!" she yelped, surprised.

"It's a sign," Ann whispered. Dawn nodded. The guests took off, leaving everything unusually quiet as the maids began cleanup.

"What a day," Dawn commented, spinning around in the garden. Her skirts flared and seemed to float on the wind as she did that.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Ann said, "and it's all ours for the week."

John approached them.

"I must be off, ladies, but if there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask."

"Thanks," Dawn mumbled. John got into his carriage and took off.

Dawn breathed a sigh of relief. When they'd searched the manor and found no one (Dawn and Ann told Ichabod and Katrina that they didn't need the maids after they were done with the wedding mess) in sight, Dawn gave Klaus the "all-clear" signal. Daredevil thundered down the hill, eager to see Flash. They went to the stables first and Klaus took off all of Daredevil's tack. Dawn led Flash out of her stall.

"Make sure you're back before dark and try not to let anyone see you," Dawn instructed them, "and make sure BOTH of you get back."

She almost laughed. She was talking to horses as though they were teenage children.

"Go. Run." Klaus told his best friend. Daredevil didn't need a second invitation. The first thing he did, once free of the saddle, was roll around in the grass. Flash watched him and grunted as if telling him how silly he was. Then, they both took off.

"Well, that takes care of them," Dawn said, "let's go inside and see if there's any cake left."

Moments later, they went out to the garden again with the remnants of the cake. Between the cake and the lemonade, Dawn was getting sleepy and Klaus had eaten so much that he was sure he would burst. When Ann offered him another piece, he shook his head.

"Where would I put it?" he asked before covering his mouth and stifling a belch.

"Wow, it's naptime," Dawn yawned. The sun had come all the way out and the air was warm and still.

"Let's get Klaus a room," Ann said, "not that he'll use it."

The three of them shared a good laugh on the way inside. His room was right next to Dawn's, to his pleasure. Ann and Dawn found some clean sheets and put them on the bed. They also spread a quilt over it. Klaus opened the window to let the afternoon air in. The bed was much smaller than what he was used to, but he really didn't care. He was close to Dawn and that was all that mattered.

Dawn stretched out on her own bed and listened to the wind rustle through the trees. She could hear the faint beating of hooves and smiled. Within seconds, she was fast asleep.

Klaus decided to explore the house while Dawn and Ann were napping. Most of the upstairs bedrooms were all the same. Some of them had double beds, but they were probably restricted to married couples. They were also on the darker side of the house and didn't get as good of a view. After having poked around in all of them, he came to a room at the end of the hall.

This room, he guessed, was Ichabod and Katrina's future room. It had a larger bed in it with nicer coverings of black, white, and red. There were two windows with lace curtains and two bedside tables with oil lamps on them. There was a large oak dresser on one wall and a wardrobe on the other with some of Ichabod and Katrina's things on them. They'd probably moved everything in here this morning or the maids had done it.

Despite Ichabod's shortcomings, Klaus had to admit that the man was braver than most people gave him credit for. He'd fought Klaus off on several occasions, made a windmill with him inside explode, turned a carriage over on him, and gotten involved in so much more than he should have.

Klaus made a mental note to thank him later.

He wandered down the stairs. To his left, there was a library. Bookshelves towered over him that were at least twice his height. There was a table there that held Ichabod's latest inventions and detailed sketches about what each one would look like when it was finished. Klaus stopped to look at the drawings, but he didn't bother trying to read Ichabod's scrawled descriptions beside them.

"I should have learned to read English," Klaus mumbled, exiting the room. Next, he came to the entry hall and the large parlor, what Dawn referred to as the "living room". He saw the fireplace and grinned, remembering Dawn and her friends laying by it. He noticed Ichabod's favorite reading chair and Katrina's favorite chair beside it. Then, there was the dining room and the kitchen. Scraps of food were still in plates on the counter; leftovers that hadn't been served. He wandered outside for a while.

He wondered what it would be like to live with Dawn in a place of their own. It wouldn't be nearly this big, but it would just as pretty. He sat on a stone bench in the garden, which was in full bloom, and imagined Dawn standing in the doorway of a simple cottage.

Upstairs, he heard music. Dawn was playing that mysterious little box that sat on her bedside table. He allowed his eyes to close for a moment, taking in the music with the garden. He didn't care much about flowers, but the peace of the place was overpowering.

Klaus felt something tickle his cheek. Very carefully, he opened his eyes to see a pure white butterfly there. It fanned its wings in and out, then fluttered off.

A giggling Dawn stood at the archway of the garden.

"It kissed you," she laughed, "Mom always told me that butterfly kisses bring good luck."

She sat down beside him on the bench and they watched the sun set.


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: There's a lot of German in this chapter. I'm using an online translator, so there will probably be mistakes, apologies right now for them. I tried to check them by putting them the other way and that seems to have cut down on it. If you see anything that majorly needs to be fixed, please PM me and tell me what the correction should be. Again, translations are at the bottom of this page.

Chapter 21

Other than the daily visit of John, the week was blissfully uneventful. Dawn and Klaus always ended up in one bedroom or the other instead of sleeping separately. Ann teased them, but only friendly ribbing. They really didn't mind.

Dawn's appetite had increased tremendously and she always seemed to be munching on something. Klaus got a taste of what things were going to be like; Dawn had frequent mood swings, food cravings, various little aches all over, and she had to use the latrine a lot. Klaus rubbed her shoulders for her and tried to be understanding of the mood swings (it helped that he would tell himself that she'd never be as bad as Lady Van Tassel).

They all spent a lot of time together. As the sixth day drew to a close, Klaus found himself more prone to "fits of the sullens" as Ann put it: he himself would become quite moody and had to make an effort not to take it out on the girls. He'd snapped at Dawn for something and cringed immediately afterward. Instead of being angry or crying, however, Dawn came closer.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"I don't want to leave you," he responded, surprising himself with his honesty.

She wrapped her arms around him, drawing him closer.

"It won't be for long," she told him, "I promise."

In her heart, she hoped it would be quickly. If she had to wait another two years for the lunar eclipse, she would go crazy.

Klaus drew in a deep breath. Both of them had changed drastically since they'd entered this relationship. Dawn had once been very apathetic to people's needs and careless about life in general. Now, she would bend over backwards to help someone. He'd been fierce, cold-hearted, and constantly angry, not giving a damn whether people lived or died here. If he killed them, all the better. Now, he was seeing things through Dawn's eyes and he'd developed an appreciation for things he'd neglected for so long.

"Have some faith," Dawn whispered, "if God intended for us to be together, it's going to happen. And I would say it's in our favor right now."

She suddenly jumped backwards, a surprised look on her face.

"What happened?" Klaus asked, worried he'd somehow hurt her.

"The baby! It's moving!" Dawn exclaimed. She grabbed his hand and placed it against her belly, which was now starting to show. Klaus felt a tiny movement under the fabric of her dress and her skin. Then, it was a bigger one. Warmth showed in Klaus's face that Dawn had never seen before.

"What's going on?" Ann asked, having slid down the banister.

"My baby's moving!" Dawn exclaimed. Ann poked at Dawn's stomach until she saw it flutter a little.

Now, it was going to be twice as hard for him to leave. Klaus was feeling very frustrated at his situation. He was lounging on Dawn's bed. He'd been behind Dawn, his legs on either side of her, his back resting against a pile of pillows. It had been nice to leave his armor off for a week. Dawn's back rested against Klaus's stomach and chest, her head falling back on his shoulder. She was fast asleep. Klaus carefully turned the oil lamp off, extinguishing the small flame. He gently rubbed Dawn's stomach in slow circles. A twitch responded.

_Hello in there,_ he thought, _I wonder if you know who I am. I wonder if you know that in the last year, I have received the greatest gifts any man could have. I cannot wait to meet you._

Another twitch.

Klaus looked out the window at the stars. A cloud passed over the moon, making it almost appear as though God himself had winked at him.

Klaus sighed, resting his cheek against the top of Dawn's head. He couldn't make up for all of the terrible things he'd done, but he could start over.

_Mein Gott, verzeihen Sie mir bitte. Ich weiß nicht, ob ich die Dinge wettmachen kann, habe ich getan. Obwohl es scheint, dass ich meinen Rücken auf Ihnen gedreht habe, Sie haben mich nicht vergessen. Helfen Sie bitte Dawn, und ich finde unseren Platz in der Welt, ein Platz, unser eigenes zu nennen. Lassen Sie bitte unser Kind gesund sein und lassen Sie bitte alles richtig sein. Lassen Sie mich bitte noch einmal versuchen, ein besserer Mann zu sein. Ich liebe diese Frau mehr als alles, und sie hat mir Liebe gezeigt, dass ich nie gehabt habe. Ich weiß Liebe wieder, einschließlich Ihrig. _

He began to run out of thoughts. Awkwardly, Klaus closed the prayer.

_Amen._

He opened his eyes again. The fireflies had come out and were blinking their yellow-green light everywhere. One of them fluttered in onto the open windowsill and flashed. Klaus watched it, unmoving. It landed on Dawn's belly and stayed there for a moment, flashing. Another one, larger, flashed as it landed on the windowsill. The two of them flew off together.

_At least she is here now,_ Klaus thought. He gently kissed the top of Dawn's hair and allowed himself to sink into sleep.

The next morning was sunny despite the darkness in Klaus's insides. He wasn't in a good mood at all and didn't eat very much at breakfast. When Ann pressed him to talk, she got only an icy stare. Dawn didn't say anything. Instead, she kept hold of his hand, giving it a squeeze now and then or hugging him.

Daredevil wasn't in the mood to leave, either. He resisted as Klaus tried to put his saddle and bridle back on him.

1."Stehen Sie noch!" Klaus snapped. Daredevil's ears were back and he made a huffing sound.

"Ich will nicht auch abreisen!" 2. Klaus's voice was loud and harsh. Dawn stayed in the doorway of the barn, not letting on she was there. Tears filled her eyes.

"Let's not fight," Klaus told his best friend, "we are in this together. Please, don't make it harder than it has to be."

Daredevil lowered his head so that Klaus could put his bridle and reins on.

"They already know of our relationship, but there will be others to visit them today. We cannot be seen."

Dawn assumed that Daredevil used thought transference to talk to Klaus. She wiped her tears away, standing on trembling knees.

Daredevil's ears came forward again. Klaus stroked his nose for a little while, his eyes closing and a discontented sigh coming from deep within.

"Come."

Daredevil followed Klaus out of the stable without Klaus even holding onto the reins. He noticed Dawn's tearstained face and felt the darkness inside well up almost uncontrollably. She wasn't crying anymore, but he didn't like to know she'd been crying at all.

She rested her head against his shoulder as he pulled her into a tight embrace.

"It's not like we won't see each other again," Dawn said, more to herself than to him, "I'll be back in the woods getting the herbs Katrina asked for in a couple of days."

She was being brave for him.

Wordlessly, he kissed her with one hand behind her back and the other over her swelling stomach. The sound of a carriage got their attention.

Dawn watched as Klaus and Daredevil took off. She had a funny feeling that something was going to happen, but she shrugged it away.

"I knew it!"

Dawn's eyes widened with shock and her heart began to pound. Her breath became so short that her chest hurt. Her legs turned to jello as she turned around to face a very irate-looking John.

Translations:

1. "Stay still!"

2. "I don't want to leave either!"

Klaus's prayer in English: (is probably not exact, apologies ahead): _My God, please forgive me. I do not know if I can make up for the things I have done. Although it seems that I have turned my back on you, you have not forgotten me. Please help Dawn and I find our place in the world, a place to call our own. Please let our child be healthy and please let everything right. Please let me try once more to be a better man. I love this woman more than everything else and she has shown me love that I have never had. I know love again, including Yours. Amen._

A/N: Yes, a cliffhanger. Shame upon me! evil laugh I had this part of the story written long before the rest of it.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"You whore of Satan! You slept with him, didn't you?" John demanded. Dawn said nothing. She was feeling rather light-headed.

"What business of it's yours if I did or I didn't?" Dawn demanded, her voice betraying her by shaking.

John shook his head and made a "tsk" sound.

"It's quite a lot of my business, actually," John said, dangerously calm, "I can have you tried for witchcraft and relations out of wedlock. I also know of your pregnancy because I've seen you get sick every day. The way he just held your stomach is no coincidence."

Dawn turned the color of ashes. Behind her, she could still feel Klaus's presence and he was very angry. She made a "stay there" gesture behind her back. He obeyed only grudgingly, his restraint barely in place. She watched Ichabod and Katrina get out of the carriage. Ichabod lifted Katrina up and carried her into the house.

"Who's word do you suppose they'll take," John wondered aloud, "mine, a religious leader, or yours, smeared already because of your little frolic through town."

"I thought you said you would leave me alone!" Dawn's voice was unnaturally shrill.

John came closer.

"Oh, how easily you are tricked! Did you think, after all that effort, that I would give up? For shame, Dawn."

He went to stroke her cheek, but she punched him in the jaw. Sputtering angrily, he got up.

"Temper, temper," he said irritably, "you're trying my patience. I know that damned demon is up there in those woods. Call him down here and he kills me or otherwise harms me, you die. The town elders are already suspicious of you anyway. If anything happens to me, they'll blame it on you. Unlike the previous fools who held the job of Reverend, I DO know how to exorcise a demon properly so that it hurts them oh, so much."

He gripped her arm to prevent her from running away. At his touch, Dawn's belly felt as though it were burning. Her baby began to squirm in agony.

"Feel that? You believe me, don't you?"

Dawn couldn't believe this was happening. She felt Klaus's cold fury growing behind her, but she made the "stay" gesture again.

"Cut the crap and tell me what you want!" Dawn snapped, pulling away from him.

"Very well, then," John said casually, digging in his coat pocket for something, "you know what I want."

He held up an engagement ring. Dawn fought the urge to throw up.

"Anything but that," she choked out.

John replaced the ring in his pocket.

"Very well," he said lightly, "I shall simply kill you off, one by one. It doesn't hurt me to kill a demon's child."

He started to walk away and heard her sniff as she struggled to control the emotions that were flooding into her heart.

"All right, fine! You got me! But leave Klaus alone and leave my baby alone!"

"Do what I say and I may consider it," John said acidly.

Dawn was shaking violently, her dark eyes showing rage mixed with helplessness. He removed the ring from his pocket again.

"I will show you true happiness, my love. It comes from true repentance and true belief. No more will you hide behind shadows and darkness."

He took her hand roughly and placed the ring on it. Dawn winced at how unnaturally cold it was.

"We will be wed in four months' time, no exception. Any earlier than that and the elders will get suspicious. If you so much as tell another living soul about this, the Hessian dies. Permanently." His voice got increasingly heated.

Dawn gave an almost imperceptible nod.

"I can't stop you from seeing him because I can't watch you all the time, but if you try to run off, I will kill both of you myself. Believe me, there are ways. Once we are wed, I don't want you going anywhere near those woods OR near him, understand?"

Another tiny nod. John sounded angry, but he was smiling. He was enjoying every bit of this, knowing that Dawn wouldn't fight when it came to protecting Klaus.

"Very good. Now that we understand each other, kiss me. A real kiss, not a peck."

Dawn fought the urge to throw up as his lips pressed against hers. Her baby squirmed again and she was sure it was screaming inside of her.

"Wonderful," John said huskily, "one of my cousins will wed us. You will have the most beautiful wedding dress of all of these girls and I shall cover you with white flowers. It will be the biggest wedding in Sleepy Hollow. And I will be sure to raise this child correctly. It will be wonderful, Dawn, just the three of us."

Dawn didn't answer. Behind her, she was sure Klaus was about to have a heart attack.

"I've got several plans to make, my dear, but I shall come visit you often," he said, lifting her chin, "because I know how lonely you get."

He pulled her against him, kissing her much more than what was appropriate. Already, she could feel the heat in his kiss. She shuddered. Their wedding night was not going to be fun.

"Good night, Dawn. Pleasant dreams," he said, laughing as he walked away.

Dawn dropped to her knees in the grass and struggled to gain control of her emotions that were making it so hard to breathe. The one that stood strongest was anger.

Klaus came sprinting down the hill. He embraced Dawn and held her tightly against his chest. Dawn was crying, but these were tears of rage.

"How DARE he call you evil! He's the evil one! He doesn't even know what being a preacher means! What kind of a man threatens to kill babies?!"

Klaus was furious at John. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to go after him and cut off his manhood to hear him scream. Then, he wanted to kill the bastard and bury him somewhere far, far away.

Ichabod and Katrina heard Dawn's hysterical yelling and came outside. Neither one of them were surprised to see Klaus, but he was surprised to see them.

"What's happened?" Katrina asked as Ann hugged both Dawn and Klaus.

It took them a while to get Dawn calmed down. When she stopped screaming death threats on John, she finally explained to Katrina and Ichabod that she was pregnant with Klaus's baby and that John had suspected it all along, but now he had proof.

"Why not just leave Sleepy Hollow?" Katrina asked.

"He'll follow me," Dawn said, shuddering, "I can't go back to the future because he'll kill Klaus if I leave. I have no choice. It's either my freedom or everyone else's lives and I won't let everyone else die because of him."

As bad as it sounded, there was no easy way out of this. Klaus looked very hurt. Katrina, Ichabod, and Ann left them alone to talk.

"I'm so sorry, Klaus, words can't even describe it. But I don't want him to get you or the baby," Dawn said, throwing her arms around him.

"It would only be what I deserve," Klaus told her, "I've been to Hell. It was the perfect fate for all that I did."

She shook her head vigorously.

"No! As much as I hate John, I hate the idea of you and our baby being sent to that horrible place even worse. I couldn't live with myself."

Dawn buried her face in his chest. He wanted to hold onto her forever and not let her go.

_Why did you betray me? _Klaus thought angrily to the divine forces around him. There was no answer.

"I need to go," she complained, "I'm feeling really sick right now."

Before she waited on a response, she'd gone tearing outside. Klaus sighed. Ann went to go check on her.

Ichabod came to sit in the chair across from him.

"Hes- I mean, Klaus, I presume?"

Klaus nodded. Ichabod extended a cautious hand. Seeing that Klaus didn't try to break it, he continued.

"I apologize deeply for having to meet again under such terrible circumstances. It seems that we're both always in a great deal of trouble when our paths cross."

"Yes," Klaus grunted, not wanting to think about it.

"After these past few months, I have come to think of Dawn as my sister," Ichabod said, "and the idea of a ghost becoming her lover was less than appealing, but she speaks very kindly of you. It would seem that you are the best thing that's ever happened to her."

_I am also the worst,_ Klaus thought.

"There is obviously much more to you than I gave you credit for. If it's possible, I would like to start over," Ichabod offered.

They shook again.

"If there's anything at all I can do for the two of you, I will gladly do it," Ichabod said.

That was when Klaus told him of their previous plan. Katrina came bursting in, looking very nervous about something.

"Where is Dawn? I need to tell her something very important!"

They looked at her questioningly.

"I miscalculated the date of the eclipse," Katrina said breathlessly, "it won't happen until fall."

As if things could get much worse...

Dawn splashed cold water on her face and rinsed her mouth out. Katrina gave her mint leaves to chew on.

"It was perfect," she mumbled, "and everything went to Hell in a handbasket today."

"I know," Ann whispered, rubbing her shoulders.

"We can make this work," Katrina insisted, "the eclipse is the same day as John's proposed wedding date. If he gets delayed, Klaus will be mortal, therefore he can't send Klaus to Hell. It won't work."

Dawn didn't dare hope for it.

The next four months were a time of growing uneasiness. Dawn and Klaus spent as much time as they could together although John was demanding more and more of her time. Dawn's belly ballooned outward and there was no disguising her pregnancy. Everyone tiptoed around her as though she were about to explode. Klaus and Ichabod gathered the herbs for the spell and Ann, Katrina, and Dawn worked on preparing the ingredients. The herbs had to be dried a certain way and prepared a certain time. Twice, John almost walked in on what they were doing but he never caught them. The seamstress measured Dawn for the dress and chose a cut that would minimize Dawn's belly. Dawn stood perfectly still and looked very dejected as the seamstress measured her.

The night before the wedding, John insisted that Dawn be moved to the church. Ichabod and Masbeth had hidden her books, her computer, her guitar, her art supplies, and her iPod beneath some loose floorboards in the basement. John had searched the house for "signs of witchcraft", but he'd forgotten to look there.

It was a long, lonely sleepless night. Klaus couldn't come inside the gate of the church, so he stayed out there all night. They couldn't do anything but stare at each other and try to make gestures to carry on a conversation. Soon, sunrise approached and the rising apprehension was replaced by despair and hopelessness. Klaus's head bowed. When he looked up, she saw something shine on his cheek and her heart broke right in half.

John approached the church on his own buckskin horse. He and Klaus exchanged heated glances.

"Out of my way, demon," John sniffed. Klaus's hand instinctively went to the hilt of his sword.

"No, no, no," John taunted, "mustn't lose our tempers, now. If you even so much as nick me, I can have your precious Dawn put to death."

The wedding guests showed up a few hours later. Dawn's hair had been washed and put up, her dress was on, and so was her veil. She stared into the mirror.

She'd never looked so miserable. Her eyes were bloodshot, she was exhausted, and feeling sick again despite having not eaten any dinner last night. She only hoped that John would take his fill of her quickly tonight and leave what was left to sleep. She also hoped he would try not to hurt the baby.

Ichabod, Katrina, Masbeth, and Ann came to visit her.

"I'm sorry, Dawn," Katrina apologized, "the potion just won't be ready in time. We tried. Ichabod stayed up all night with it and he despises magic."

"Oh, it's okay," Dawn said, struggling not to cry again, "I'll be fine."

She looked down at her wrist. The charm bracelet that Klaus had given her was still hanging there. With a heavy heart, she removed it and pressed it into Ann's hand.

"You keep it," she told her, "and tell him I am so sorry about this. Tell him he'll mean more to me than anything that the earth or the Heavens could provide and tell him that there won't be a day that I stop loving him or wishing I was in his arms again."

Ichabod took her hand. He was supposed to give her away, although he hated the very thought. He didn't ask her if she was ready because it seemed to be a very stupid question. Everyone went downstairs to wait.

The bridal march played and Dawn felt as though she were walking into a fate worse than death. John stood at the end of the aisle. He was smiling more than anyone else in the room. Whispers were all around, but Dawn didn't take note of them. Ichabod's stomach clenched when he placed Dawn's hands into John's.

The preacher began to talk. He gave John his vows and John repeated them with such solemnity that one would have thought he was vowing to be a preacher again. The preacher gave Dawn her vows, but something made her hesitate. She was scared; seeing the restrained anger in John's eyes. She thought about Klaus outside and his one tear and she thought about her baby, who was squirming violently in her womb, but for some reason, she just couldn't get it out.

Suddenly, there was the sound of glass breaking upstairs. Everyone froze as flames suddenly began to lick their way through the wooden ceiling. John was furious.

"Say it, woman!"

His hands tightened painfully around hers. Just as she opened her mouth, however, a resounding BANG! filled the room. John swayed drunkenly for a moment, then fell forward. Dawn's hands pressed to her mouth when she realized someone had shot him cleanly through the side of his head. Flames had now spread down the walls, hungrily devouring the church. The guests, horrified, fled. Dawn stood staring at John's lifeless body as a pool of blood formed under his limp head.

Ichabod scooped her up and carried her out. By now, Dawn was coughing. He covered her mouth with part of his jacket. John's cousin grabbed his body and carried it outside behind them. Ichabod managed to get Dawn just outside the gate before he dropped to his knees, gasping and panting. John's cousin lay him on a stretcher. He was still breathing, but barely.

Dawn took his hand and squeezed it.

"I know we had our problems," she whispered, "but I didn't want you to get hurt. Not like this. You and I could have really been friends."

John opened his eyes for one moment, but they slid closed again and his breath ceased. Dawn let his limp hand fall to the grass where it would cool quickly and the flesh would harden.

"Dawn!" Katrina came running towards her with a bottle of deep red fluid.

Dawn looked up. Despite the fact that she was horrified with what had just happened, she couldn't cry anymore.

"We must get to the Western Woods! The eclipse is going to happen any minute!"

"But-"

Before she could say a word, she was put on Masbeth's horse and whisked away from the church, which collapsed.

Klaus stared blankly across the water. Daredevil stood motionless beside him. When Klaus looked up, he seemed so completely lost. Daredevil affectionately nipped at his shoulder and Klaus absently petted him. At least they still had each other.

Then, Daredevil raised his head and neighed loudly.

_Get up! They're coming!_

"Who's coming?" Klaus asked flatly.

_Dawn and the others! And John isn't with them!_

Klaus didn't move, but Daredevil came to greet them. Dawn hugged him around his neck and laughed when he took a big bite out of her bouquet.

"Take it," she said, "I don't want it."

She ran towards Klaus, grinning.

"Klaus!"

She tackled him so hard he went flying backwards onto the leaves.

"What happened?" he asked, genuinely confused.

"Someone shot John and killed him, then the church burned down. I didn't get to say my vows, so I'm not married!"

She yanked John's engagement ring off of her finger and flung it across the woods. Klaus kissed her hard.

1."Danke Gott," he breathed.

Katrina came over to both of them.

"Sorry to interrupt, but we're on a tight schedule," she apologized. A loud crack of thunder overhead startled all of them. From the west, a bank of black, menacing clouds gathered.

Katrina uncorked the bottle.

"Drink it all and hurry!" she gave it to Klaus, who downed it without stopping.

"You should lie down," she warned him, "it will be uncomfortable, possibly painful if it's done right."

Klaus cringed, looking at Dawn nervously.

"Dawn, you need to let go of his hand for the time being," Katrina warned her, "you'll be struck, too, if you're touching him."

Dawn reluctantly let go of Klaus's hand and went to stand by Ichabod, who was getting more nervous by the second.

Katrina stared at the clouds. With as much concentration as she could muster, she chanted something. Then, she turned towards the sun and chanted.

A large shadow overcast the growing crowd who had encircled Klaus and Katrina. The golden morning sun was blotted out by a perfect dark circle and the sky turned blood-red. There was a rustle of leaves as the wind picked up and blew in a violent gust. A bolt of blue-white lightning came down to the earth and struck Klaus in the chest. This happened all at the same time.

The crowd gasped.

Klaus's eyes were closed and he was shaking violently as if from a seizure. He felt a painful jolt as his heart began to pound for the first time in twenty years. Warmth spread through his limbs as his blood began to flow again. His skin was painfully aware of all that was brushing against it and his mouth felt dry from the shock. He was also dizzy.

Dawn cautiously knelt next to him as a rain began to fall. Klaus opened his eyes just in time to see the moon moving again. It stayed mostly in front of the sun for a moment, but a tiny sliver flashed brightly, looking like a gem. The rest of the sun was a faint glowing ring around the moon. It reminded him of a wedding ring. Then, the moon's shadow rapidly disappeared. The storm behind them, however, was just getting started and it was going to engulf them if they didn't hurry. Dawn thrust her hand down the collar opening in Klaus's armor. Her hand landed on his heart.

"Oh my God, it worked!" she exclaimed.

She helped him up. This would get some getting used to. Just as she got him up, however, she doubled over in pain.

"Uh-oh," she gasped.

Before anyone could get in another word, Klaus had jumped onto Daredevil and pulled her up into his lap.

"Take her to the manor!" Ichabod yelled over the thunder.

As they rode, Klaus felt a hot gush of fluid over his knee.

"Sorry," Dawn gasped, "my water just broke."

Someone unlocked the door and Klaus carried her inside. Masbeth went to get the doctor. He lay her down on her bed and she tried to smile through the pain.

"Klaus, can you let me change her clothes?" Ann asked. He left, although reluctantly.

Now, all they could do was wait.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

The doctor came tearing into the house and up the stairs. He actually vaulted over Klaus, who was sitting at the top of the stairs.

"Oh, my goodness," he panted, seeming just as nervous as Ichabod, "I didn't expect her to go into labor early!"

He went in to see Dawn.

"How's John doing?" Dawn asked, already knowing what the answer was.

"He died a short time ago, Miss. We all knew he wouldn't make it through the night anyway because he'd been shot clean through the head."

Dawn frowned. She felt bad for John and hoped he would be forgiven.

"Well, I forgive him," she mumbled. The memory of John's blood pouring onto the church floor would forever haunt her. She let out a cry of pain as another contraction came.

"Goodness, you're almost there," the doctor commented, "just wait until you're dilated a bit more, then you can start pushing."

Dawn groaned.

Katrina gave Dawn's bloodstained dress to one of the maids.

"Take this down to the river and wash it. I'll give you a few extra coins this week for your troubles if you get it completely clean."

The maid took the dress and hurried off. Outside, the storm had moved in and thunder growled overhead. Katrina rubbed some sort of salve on Dawn's belly to ease the pain.

After what seemed like forever, Dawn buried her face in the pillow and screamed into it. The doctor waited at the foot of the bed.

"Push!" he ordered.

She did, gasping and panting. It hurt too much to scream. He repeated the order over and over, gently rubbing her stomach. Silent tears poured down Dawn's cheeks and her face was almost purple from the effort.

"Here comes the head!" The doctor squeezed her hand.

Dawn pushed again. One more, and a thin, wailing cry rose into the air.

"Wait! I'm not done!" she gasped. The doctor looked at her, puzzled, but soon, another cry joined the first.

"Holy..." the doctor trailed off, "you've birthed twins! And they're both alive!"

Dawn opened her eyes slowly and waited for the room to stop spinning. As her world slowly came into focus, she noticed two babies at the foot of the bed. The doctor cleaned them up and cut their cords. Then, he massaged her belly to make the afterbirth come out. As soon as she'd expelled that, he brought the twins over to her.

"This one is a boy, this one is a girl," he told her. Dawn smiled, tears of joy coming out.

"Hi! I'm your mommy!" she whispered. One of the tiny hands wrapped around her finger. Dawn was brimming with happiness.

"Go show Klaus," Dawn panted.

The doctor cleaned her up first, then carried one baby in each arm out the door. Klaus had fallen asleep, leaning against the wall. Masbeth shook him awake.

"Hessian-I mean, Klaus," the doctor said, "there's someone I'd like you to meet."

Very carefully, he lowered the babies into Klaus's lap.

"Two?" Klaus's eyes were wide with surprise.

"Yes. Twins. The one on the left is male, the other female."

Klaus gazed down at the tiny red, round faces. The girl stretched and yawned. The boy opened his eyes for a moment, and Klaus could see that they were already dark like Dawn's. He held them close to his chest. A tiny hand brushed against his cheek.

Masbeth leaned over his shoulder.

"Wow! Twins! You must be blessed, for they both lived!"

"I am," Klaus agreed.

Ichabod cautiously ventured closer.

"T-twins! My goodness! Well, Klaus, I congratulate you!" Ichabod said, sitting down next to him.

"Thank you."

The doctor emerged from Dawn's room.

"Klaus, you can go in now."

Klaus handed the babies to Ichabod so he could get up. Taking them again, he carried them both back into the room.

Dawn looked absolutely exhausted, but she was smiling.

"I knew there was going to be a boy in there somewhere," she said.

Klaus sat down on the edge of the bed. The day's events whirled through his head so fast that he almost couldn't process them. Now, John was dead, Dawn was his, and he was alive again.

"Knock knock!" Ann poked her head into the room.

"Hey," Dawn said, kissing the tops of the babies' heads.

"You'll never guess what just happened," Ann said. Dawn shrugged. Ann held up the picture she'd sketched and framed for Klaus. It was coated with ashes.

"I thought you'd want this. You know your tree that you used to live in?" she asked Klaus. He gave her a questioning look.

"Lightning struck the tree. It's burned down to the ground. Nothing left but this," she said, giving it to him.

Klaus didn't know what to think. That tree had been his home for ages, and now it was gone. The gateway to Hell was completely wiped out.

"Your sword's gone, too," Ann said, "it disappeared completely into the ground as far as I know."

"I'm guessing it was part of Katrina's spell," Dawn said, "I can't think of any other explanation."

"It appears to me that we'll have to build you a house," Ichabod said.

Klaus and Dawn looked at each other and grinned.

It wasn't an easy night. The doctor had to show Dawn how to breastfeed the babies. It took a couple of tries before she got it right. Dawn was still sore and had to have help getting up and down. Klaus was as patient as could be and stayed up with her. Sometime after midnight, she finally fell asleep. When the babies cried to be fed, the doctor arranged them so that they could eat and not wake Dawn up.

Then, something else happened around midmorning the next day.

Dawn was getting up and down better and could walk a little bit. She claimed it hurt more just to lay there than get up and move. Someone had brought her a purple dressing gown as a gift and she pulled it on.

Suddenly, there was a nervous grunting from below the window. Daredevil neighed loudly and was rearing up on his hind legs.

_What's the matter?_ Klaus asked him.

_It's Flash! She's going to foal!_

Everyone took off towards the barn. Dawn insisted on going, but she was walking in fragile, staggering steps. Klaus lifted her up and carried her. The babies were asleep in the new cradle that Masbeth had built them, so they were safe for the moment.

Flash was laying on her side. Her waters had already broken and she looked miserable. Klaus carefully sat down and Dawn knelt next to her.

"Hang in there, Flash," she whispered, "you can do it."

She stroked Flash's head. Daredevil came back in and touched his nose to Flash's. Everyone grinned.

Dawn massaged her belly and talked to her. The kitchen maids brought bread and milk outside for everyone to eat because they wouldn't leave the barn. Flash's contractions were increasing in frequency. Dawn crawled around to Flash's tail end.

"Come on, Flash," Dawn urged her, "if you don't push harder, we're going to have problems."

Daredevil's ears pricked forward. If a horse could be worried, he probably was. Klaus whispered something to him in German, but Dawn didn't hear what it was.

After a long time, the baby still didn't come. Dawn stripped off her nice robe.

"Sorry about this, Flash, but..."

She turned the foal from the inside and out. Then, when she could feel its hooves, she pulled as hard as she could. Flash began to push again. The front hooves appeared. Klaus was trying to help Dawn. Ichabod fainted (again). Between the two of them (Klaus was much stronger than she was by a landslide), they finally got the foal loose. With an extreme effort on all sides, Dawn grunted when the slippery, glistening wet thing landed right in her lap and knocked her over. Dazed, she sat up.

Everyone was cheering, jumping around, and celebrating. Dawn looked down to see that the colt had his father's coloring with a beautiful white star in the center of his forehead. He wasn't breathing yet. Dawn placed her mouth over his nose and sucked out the birth fluid (which made Ichabod get woozy all over again). Then, she gave his rump a smack and he began to breathe.

Flash turned herself around and nuzzled him. Daredevil stood proudly over both of them, whinnying loudly and making Gunpowder nervous.

"What a day," Dawn mumbled, sagging back against Klaus, "I think I need a nap."

She hugged the colt around his neck.

"Nice to have met you, Starlight."

And, so the chosen name was Starlight.

Klaus carried her back upstairs so that she could get some rest. He went to go visit Daredevil.

"Well, we are both fathers now," he said, watching Starlight try to get up, "everything is going to change now."

Daredevil nudged Starlight in his tail-end.

_Yes,_ Daredevil commented, _it's going to be busy, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I never thought I would have a colt of my own!_

Starlight staggered forward and fell. He got right back up again, slowly getting the hang of walking.

Klaus gave his best friend an affectionate pat.

"We did it," he said, grinning, "we found somewhere to belong."

He watched Flash feed Starlight for a moment, then went back inside where Dawn and the twins, yet to be named, were resting.


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: The song at the end of this chapter is "Angel of Mine" by Monica.

Chapter 24

The sounds of hammers against nails, horses hauling carts, and other things promising new beginnings were present on the hill next to the Van Tassel manor. Klaus leaned against a nearby tree and watched the construction.

"Everything worked out pretty good," Dawn commented, both babies in a harness that Ichabod had created for her, "but there's just one thing I can't figure out."

"What's that?" Klaus asked, wrapping an arm around her.

"Who set the church on fire and who killed John."

Ichabod looked the other way completely.

"You?" Dawn asked, completely taken by surprise.

"I returned and broke one of the oil lamps as soon as you'd gone downstairs," Ichabod admitted. "I knew it would be a short time before the flames reached the downstairs area and the ceremony would be interrupted."

"And what about John" Dawn asked.

"I never miss a shot," a voice said behind her. She turned to see Jane.

"Jane?" Dawn asked, really surprised this time.

"Yes. I've decided that even if you are a witch, you still deserve a chance at true love like everyone else. You helped me, so I decided to help you. Klaus, too."

"How did you find out about that?" Dawn asked, wondering more and more how many secrets had been kept.

"There were hoof prints in the yard," Jane said, "and only Daredevil's hooves make that big of a print."

Dawn and Klaus looked at each other and cracked up laughing.

"Wow," Dawn gasped, "who knew."

She looked down at the two babies in her harness. The baby boy was named Jaegar, which was German for "hunter" and the baby girl was named Hanne. In a strange sort of way, Dawn was grateful to the red-haired girl that Klaus had once loved. If he hadn't loved her first, things would not have worked the way they did.

Klaus was tickling Jaegar's chin. Jaegar grabbed hold of Klaus's hand and popped his finger in his mouth. Dawn giggled.

"You know what? I'm glad I accidentally drove across that bridge so long ago," she said, "I don't miss where I came from in the slightest."

At one point, she had uncovered her car and let everyone see. Ichabod had great fun taking it apart and putting it back together. She'd even taught him how to drive it at some point, but now it was back in the stable as he tried to do different things with it. The rest of her technology worked as long as she had his homemade battery charger. Klaus wasn't really into her gadgets: he didn't really care to learn about them. He preferred the company of other people or peace and quiet to machines.

The house would be finished in a couple of months and they would be able to move in. Dawn was looking forward to them having a place of their own. Flash, Daredevil, and Starlight would have their own stable, too. They were on picket lines right now, enjoying the fresh grass. Starlight stood beside his mother, occasionally running around her in circles, his little curly tail flapping. Dawn watched him, a serene smile on her face.

"Babies everywhere," she commented.

Ichabod looked at the twins in Dawn's harness, then at Starlight.

"Yes. There will soon be more."

She looked up at him curiously.

"Katrina, too?" she asked.

He nodded.

"Wow. You guys have been busy!"

Ichabod flushed a deep red, making Klaus and Dawn grin.

"You will get used to such comments," he said, knowing Dawn wasn't going to change anytime soon.

The house was finished just after winter set in. With a roaring fire, the house was quite warm. Their house wasn't a manor, but it was a good-sized house. Klaus and Dawn received a generous donation of furniture from the town carpenters and others who could build or make things. The twins grew quickly and were teething soon. Spring faded into summer, summer into fall, and so on. Katrina's baby was born and Dawn's were chubby, happy little handfuls. The three of them made quite a team!

Katrina's baby was a little girl named Jasmine after Ichabod's mother. Ichabod, who once would faint at the idea of raising a child, became a very good father and Masbeth was a very good big brother. Sleepy Hollow began to prosper again and was in need of a small police force, which Klaus got involved with. Although he and Daredevil were both mortal now, they could still slip through the woods like living shadows and the position suited them perfectly. Dawn was a contented housewife, but she also ran the new choir in the new church (which got a much kinder vicar that had no hidden agenda). The twins approached their fourth birthday and Jasmine, her third.

"When's Daddy coming home? I want to ride Daredevil!" Jaegar insisted.

"He'll be back before supper," Dawn insisted, "now, let's finish your bath and please try to stay out of the mud this time."

Jaegar pouted.

"You're gonna tell him I'm too little, aren't you?"

"No," Dawn said firmly, "I'm letting him decide."

She rinsed the little boy's hair. Jaegar had inherited his mother's golden curls, but his father's icy blue eyes. However, he definitely favored Dawn's character.

"All done!" he hopped out of the washtub onto the towel. Dawn gently dried him off and put his clean clothes on.

Hanne wandered into the room. Unlike her brother, Hanne's hair was dark and unruly like Klaus's and her eyes were dark chocolate, almost black, like Dawn's. She was mostly quiet unless she was angered, very much like Klaus.

"Is it time for my bath?" she asked, going to Dawn for help with her dress.

Unlike Jaegar, Hanne liked baths and Dawn was grateful that at least one of them did. She helped Hanne into the tub and told her to wait there. Then, she stirred the pot of stew over the fireplace. It wasn't quite ready yet, but it would be soon.

Jaegar came tearing back into the room.

"Hey, Hanne, watch this!"

He dipped one of Dawn's bracelets into the water. It had a sturdy round shape unlike the charm bracelet and was made of silver. Jaegar pulled it back out and blew into it. Bubbles floated through the room.

"Let me try!" Hanne took the bracelet from him and tried to blow the bubbles, puzzled when nothing came out.

"Dip it in the water," Dawn suggested. She did, laughing as the iridescent bubbles floated through the room.

A familiar whinny rang outside.

"He's back!"

Jaegar took off before Dawn could catch him.

_Ah, let him go_, she thought, _there will come a time when he doesn't care._

She finished bathing Hanne and put her clean clothes on her. Opening the back door, she emptied the washtub and left it outside to dry. Klaus came into the kitchen, Ichabod with him. Jaegar was bouncing around Ichabod's legs, asking him all kinds of questions and nearly tripping him.

"Is it true that you and Father really fought?" he asked.

Dawn laughed.

"Not that story again," she moaned sarcastically, "he'll be up all night thinking about it."

"No, I won't, Mom!"

Dawn laughed.

"All right, then."

Jaegar and Hanne climbed into Klaus's lap as they told the story. Dawn finished preparing dinner, listening. As the sun began to set, she saw Katrina and Jasmine coming down the path. Masbeth, Ann, Elizabeth, and Jane were following. It would be quite crowded in the little kitchen tonight, but well worth it. Thankfully, she'd made enough stew and bread to feed an army. Despite the fact that she missed things like microwaves and indoor plumbing, Dawn had adapted quite well to life in an earlier time.

The door opened and all of her friends flooded in. Jasmine tried to get in Klaus's lap, too, but there just wasn't enough room. Instead of giving up, she got in Ichabod's lap. The three children were all asking questions at once.

As Dawn got the bowls and spoons out of the cupboard, her eye caught a picture that she'd carefully framed. It was a self-portrait she'd done when she'd first moved to Sleepy Hollow. Despite the fact that she'd only aged a little bit, there was so much in her face that had changed...she could hardly believe she was the same person. Her gaze locked with Klaus's.

_Funny_, Dawn thought, _I got everything I wanted. It was a really strange journey, but I got it all._

In the background, her iPod was playing a familiar tune through the speakers.

_When I first saw you,_

_I already knew_

_there was something_

_inside of you_

_something I thought that I would never find..._

_Angel of mine..._

_You came into my life_

_sent from above_

_when I lost all hope,_

_you showed me love_

_I'm checking for you boy,_

_you're right on time. _

_Angel of mine..._

_I look at you,_

_looking at me_

_now I know why they say_

_the best things are free._

_Gonna love you to the end of time_

_Angel of mine..._

A/N: And there you have it. A 24 chapter-long journey with Klaus, Dawn, and all of our other characters that were loved so much (except for John, whom apparently nobody misses-ha ha). As their journey draws to a close, I'm going to thank all of you that read and reviewed. Also, you never know. I might end up writing a sequel to this. After all, what is one's ending that can't be another's beginning? Ideas? PM!


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